Gentle Old Eyes
by Yun-chi
Summary: Zeno soothes her, telling her it's okay. But her cries only intensify, as she hears the tragically gentle and kind sounds in the voice of an old soul. -Zeno from Akatsuki no Yona in Kimetsu no Yaiba. Drabble-ish, atleast 1 update per week(?) and a long time before actual plot comes to play. Editing and changes in story as the manga updates and new information is revealed.
1. Chapter 1 Born

In a small cottage in a rural village, a mother was giving birth. She didn't have any experienced helpers, only her husband trying to aid her in giving birth. But he was not knowledgeable about childbirth and it was very unlikely that she would survive giving birth to the child.

Soon after midnight stroke a small baby boy was screaming his lungs out. The new mother, who was exhausted yet somehow still alive, and the father both smiled happily at their son.

The baby started calming down soon after. And around this time he opened his eyes, making both mother and father stare at the blue glimmering eyes the boy had gotten from his father. The boy smiled and finally the parents decided to name him.

Zeno, they decided, the thunder outside clapping somehow sounding joyous. The father of Greek origin firmly believed this child was a gift from Zeus.


	2. Chapter 2 The wisteria tree

Zeno, now four years old and sporting the same blond hair and blue eyes as his father, yet brighter. He smiled and hummed along as his mother, Ryumaki Hinano brushed his hair with her fingers. The action making the four-year old boy slowly nod to sleep. His father was out, most likely selling firewood because it was autumn and winter was coming soon.

The boy was nodding to sleep when he spotted the tree his mother always prayed to. His mind puzzling, what was so godly about this wisteria tree? He opened his mouth to ask but paused to think over his questions. His mother noticing his quizzical look paused too and asked.

"What is it Zeno?"

"Mama.. what is so important about the wisteria tree?"

His mother smiled, it was a bittersweet smile Zeno realized. He could see longing in his mothers eyes. His mother then answered.

"It's a tree that the demons dislike, mama's family didn't own one so they're gone. But papa saved mama from the demon, and brought mama here where there are lots of wisteria trees."

And suddenly Zeno's head started to hurt. Something was trying to make itself known. He was remembering something. He frowned and held to the left side of his forehead as his mother continued to stroke his head. Finally lulling him to unconsciousness with the headache of 'remeberrememberremember'

And when he woke up. He wasn't Ryumaki Zeno anymore. Ouryuu Zeno had woken up instead.


	3. Chapter 3 Start

A rueful smile and Zeno looked around. This new world was set in Japan again. This world's story happens in the Taisho era. By his experiences so far he was somewhere in the middle or end of the Sengoku period.

He remembered reading up a lot of Japanese history when he was in a world of the 21 century helping some kid become a mafia boss.

Google was a blessing existing only in the modern worlds. It would be a long time before this world would reach that time. If he remembered correctly this worlds antagonist was born in early Heian period, 700-900ish maybe even before. So demons already lurked the land. Going by his mother's story, his father was in the demon slaying corps.

He said this world valued mortality a lot. And that the antagonist wanted an immortal body that could live in the sun. Zeno is an immortal. He seemed to be in a sticky situation, not the best world to be in. He can be accidentally seen as a demon because of his agelessness after reaching 17 so the demon slaying corps would be against him. But he couldn't side with demon's, he was here to aid the human protagonist.

Well food for though later, now he was still 4 and had 13 years to live before fake dying or something to conceal his immortality. This lives family seemed really nice and hey, maybe his father would teach him those fighting forms they used. Breathing forms was it?


	4. Chapter 4 Memento

Zeno hums, his mother Hinano had just finished braiding his hair. Zeno brushes the tip of his fingers against the flowers braided in. The flowers Hinano had favored were one's that grew around, a little bit of the wisteria, peonies and even sweet pea littered his hair.

And Zeno had heard the woman sigh about higanbana, or in English spider lily, not being in season. And Zeno must say his new mother must really love him, because this combination can be read as wishing a long life for your child with love.

Wisteria most often means immortality, Sweet pea an endearment like child or pet and peonies anything to do with luck in life and love. Higanbana are often associated with the afterlife and sometimes it symbolizes a request for the after life to not take away the person wearing the flower.

Wisteria trees littered this village, and they bloomed almost every season, only not in the coldest of winters. This worlds Zeno's childhood memories are filled with them. And isn't that ironic. Immortality.

Zeno looked at the ground where most flowers were. Zeno brushes a few flowers aside and suddenly there was a glint of gold. There it laid, like always it finds itself back to him.

His kings amulet lays on the ground. Shining a golden yellow almost innocently. Zeno picks it up from the ground where it lays surrounded by peonies and runs his fingers over the dragon carved on gold. The beads are as bright as ever, the red and blue colors bright as new.

He slips it over his head, letting it dangle on his neck for a moment, before slipping it inside of his top. Out of sight for now and the foreseeable future.


	5. Chapter 5 Soon

Zeno pressed a hand to his pregnant mother's belly. Listening to any sound his sibling could make. Soon, they would be popping out and he would be an older brother for the first time in many worlds.

The families he is born to are not often happy, as they had to be the perfect match for producing his body to have his exact looks. And more often than not these people were just not meant to be together.

And if they somehow were happy together, usually they were satisfied with just one child, but this was ancient japan and people were really into baby making. And this baby would be born in peaceful times, after all the siege of Osaka happened just a while ago so in his mind Sengoku Jidai is definitely over.

And as such he would be an older brother. A five year gap they would have but Zeno would put his all into protecting his sibling and all his children and family down the line. Promise!

He smiles and so does his mother, rubbing her hand over her belly and Zeno's hair. His father is drinking tea, with a relaxed expression. The fireplace is warm and Zeno thinks this is a perfect evening.


	6. Chapter 6 Brother

Zeno is barely able to keep his hands still holding the tub of hot water. His mother is just about done with delivering his sibling. Zeno feels his breath quickening, his heart beat rising. He would see his sibling soon.

Zeno blinks at his trembling hands as his mother goes silent, but another voice starts crying. Signaling the birth of his sibling. Zeno hurried looks up, where his mother is now laying exhausted and his father is holding a small bundle carefully. The fabric was of the best quality they could have gotten, so his sibling wouldn't feel any rough fabric.

"A boy, Hinano, you brought us another beautiful baby boy." His father's voice rings out to his ears. Zeno has a brother. The infants cries are still there and Zeno absent mindedly rubs his ears.

"Zeno" Zeno looks up to Ryumaki Denis, who is holding his crying brother in his arms towards Zeno "Take him"

Zeno puts the hot water basin down, wiping his hands a few times on a towel before extending his trembling arms towards his father. His father carefully places his brother in Zeno's hold, watching Zeno with a careful expression. Zeno slowly brings his now quieting brother to his chest, doing a rocking motion he had seen many mothers do in other worlds.

Zeno never did understand why newborns found him safe or reassuring, stopping their cries as soon as he touched them. Zeno had asked him once, but he answered with a riddle.

'All children can detect the broken, and see who stands above as the one with the most kind and gentle eyes. How can they not quiet in the face of such a kind tragedy.'

He stared at the newborn, who opened his eyes, showing that they were brown. Zeno has a brother now. In this life, his parents gave him a little brother. Zeno stifled his cries and hugged the small baby in his arms. The brown eyes his little brother got from their mother twinkled in a child's joy and naiveté and he almost burst out crying.

Zeno could feel his parents gaze on him as he hugged the infant in his arms. Both had an expression of elation. Bliss.

"Let's.. name him like Zeno darling" Hinano whispers from where she is laying on the bed. "Let's name him Zeuxis"

Zeno wanted time to stop just for a while. So he could enjoy these few years he had with these amazing people.


	7. Chapter 7 Joy

"Papa, can you teach Zeno about the sword you're always carrying?" Zeno said childishly and tugged at his fathers, Ryumaki Denis's sleeve. His father chuckled at him and lifted Zeno's six year old body to his chest.

"This sword is called a Nichirin blade, it is the only thing papa can use to win fights with the demons. You'll probably use one a lot when you're older but first start training with a wooden one. You can start soon, when you turn seven."

Zeno hums, pursing his lips in a thoughtful expression. He already knew that it's used for killing demons, he wants the specifics of why it works on demons when normal blades don't.

"Why is it such a bright yellow?"

"Because papa uses the thunder breathing forms, which you and Zeuxis will likely use as well."

Zeno smiled, not the exact answer he was looking for but at least it told him the breathing form name he will be learning. He pushed himself off his fathers grip and tumbled to the floor. He stood up, and started wildly imitating sword swinging movements with his hands. Swinging his arms around and yelling random words linked to thunder.

He smiled even broader when his once again pregnant mother stepped in with his 1 year old brother Zeuxis.

He hadn't interacted with his brother a lot yet. He was still a baby after all. But he had been helping mother carry things while they went to get wood and she had to carry Zeuxis. He talked to the villagers that day a lot more than usually.

The villagers thought that Denis, Zeno and Zeuxis had odd names, and they were kind of right. Zeno was reasonable to a Japanese person but Zeuxis must sound very odd. Did they even have a proper x? Zeno doesn't remember. Sometimes they butchered Zeuxis's name and it was funny to watch.

His mother coos and rocks Zeuxis in her arms. Zeno jumps up and down in front of her, trying to reach his little brother. She laughs and leans down so Zeno can reach both of their faces.

Zeno giggled and poked his brothers nose. The slightly darker sunshine blonde baby hair got messy as Zeno ruffled his little brothers head. Two pairs of wide brown eyes blinked at him in weirdly confused affection.

It was so good to be a child in a happy family.


	8. Chapter 8 Time

The early Edo period is weird, Zeno decided. For example currently there was a massive population growth going on, since the Sengoku period ended along with the wars. And no wars meant it would be safer for to have children and raise them.

It would continue to be Edo period for something like two hundred and fifty years if he remembered correctly, then the Meiji would begin. After Meiji would be Taisho and that's the era the plot starts in.

Edo, the city that would be renamed Tokyo in Meiji isn't yet nearly as huge and brilliant as it would later become. And that just reminds him of the fact that yes, his family is very weird for current Japanese standards.

After all the country is supposed to be closed soon, and it would open only in around, 1850 or so. Maybe, Zeno doesn't remember the history book's completely. And Foreign marriage is still supposed to be illegal and practically impossible in Japan.

Tokugawa Ieyasu who would soon be retired had this year voiced intensions about closing the country. And his son who would soon step up to being Shogun would surely commit to his fathers intensions. Japan was going into the stage of being isolationist. All threats to the Tokugawa apart from outside world were gone with the siege that happened a while ago.

So how was Zeno's father, Denis, a blondie Greek man blending in Japan? And even if he had come to Japan before it would be closed, just how had the Greek man come here?

Zeno would like to pin the blame on him and the other deity's who were still adamant about the rule for him to look the exact same in every world. They probably saw that it was almost impossible to have two black haired Japanese people have a blondie blue eyed baby so they 'helped' the Greek man come to Japan.

As a result Denis was the only not born in Japan person that lived in Japan. After all the Dutch that traded didn't live here. But now that Zeno thought about it, wouldn't it have been easier for his father to be Dutchman?

Maybe his father ended up in Japan after traveling to the Netherlands and boarding the wrong ship back? It was an intriguing mystery for him to think about when he wasn't busy tending to Zeuxis. Or fussing over his soon to give birth mother.

At least all these events gave him an idea at what year he was born in. Since the siege of Osaka, according to the history book, happened in 1614 and he was soon five at the time. That means he was born in 1609, or so right?

Zeno isn't sure.  
Math isn't his strong suit.


	9. Chapter 9 Name Her

Zeno holds the almost two year old Zeuxis in his arms and tries to ignore the fact that his mother is giving birth again. He is happy yet hysterical. He is getting another sibling.

His mind keeps telling him he should be helping his mother, yet he also has to take care of Zeuxis.

The sliding door suddenly opens and there stands his father with a bright smile on his face.

"Come greet your little sister"

Zeno's eyes widen and he smiles even brighter than before. He hoists his body up, carefully cradling Zeuxis and almost runs inside. There his mother is smiling down at a small bundle. Smaller than Zeuxis, no hair yet.

Zeno turns to his father and hands him Zeuxis who is sleeping in his arms. Zeno then turns back towards his mother and kneels beside the futon she is laying on. His eyes are focused on the small bundle where bright blue eyes blink up at him blearily.

He looks at his smiling mother who then says.

"Give her a name Zeno"

Zeno pauses. That, is a huge responsibility. This baby's name.

What she is going to be called her whole life. Ryumaki...what.. he wants something Japanese since both his and Zeuxis's names are from Greek origin. His mother is named Hinano so...

Zeno looks at their mothers determined eyes and finally comes up with one.

"Hinoe. Ryumaki Hinoe" He smiles and has never felt happier.


	10. Chapter 10 Training

"Put more weight in your right leg, don't lean on the left too much. Thunder forms are made for quick movements, leaning on one side could make your aim worse." Denis lectures at him and taps spots on Zeno's legs with a wooden bokken.

The taps were delivered with probably more pressure than actually necessary to correct his position. Zeno complies and shifts his form and the position feels better but somehow harder. His muscles are too undeveloped to feel natural in the position and for it to not feel hard to maintain.

His wooden sword is in a sheath line position and he tries to understand how the first form of thunder breathing works. He closes his eyes and tries to concentrate. Breath slowing yet quickening. His fathers stare is obvious now. He feels full of energy and ready to just push himself and launch himself forward and swing-

"Very good, you'll be better than this old man in the forms at such a speedy rate." His father laughs and Zeno falls out of his stupor. He glances at his hands and realizes that.

Wow.

These forms are amazing.


	11. Chapter 11 Father's wishes

"Papa? Can you tell me more about the demon slaying people? The breathing forms? What about how you and mama met?" Zeno stopped swinging the wooden sword for a while, turning to his father who was drinking tea.

"Well.. the demon slaying corps have existed for around a 100 years." Zeno counted and came to the conclusion that, since they were around the beginning of the Edo period, the corps were established in the start of the Sengoku period. His father continued.

"The first generation of breath users have long since passed, but I heard they all had these markings. The first ever user was a sun breath user and all breaths were derived from it. Their descendants are somewhat still known and can be recognized by their earrings. Also the descendants of the original's brothers are known, the Tsukiguni line is still strong.

Your mother is from a branch family of the first ever thunder breathing user, I learned the forms from the current main branch"

Zeno listened as his father talked about various subjects. Mentioning the Ubuyashiki family that always produced the boss of the corps, the kakushi aka clean up crew, and the shinobi and blacksmith villages. Even some Warrior Priests fight Demons religiously.

His father had obviously already planned Zeno's future and how he and Zeuxis would be a part of the corps. Hinoe could possibly be married off in a political move. If someone from their family would become a pillar they would get recognized as the main thunder family and not have to live in a rural village anymore. It was clear his father had himself gave up on trying to become a pillar but he had high hopes for his sons.

Zeno swallowed the bittersweet smile coming up. He was 8 already, 9 next year and that meant he had less than a decade with his family left before his body will stop aging at 17. He wouldn't be able to fulfill those expectations. Wouldn't be able to see Hinoe older than 10 and Zeuxis 12. But damn if he wouldn't try his hardest and make sure his brother would be a pillar.

But he could only give Zeuxis the tools to become a pillar. The rest was up to his resolve.


	12. Chapter 12 Ribbon

"Papa? Can you tell me more about the demon slaying people? The breathing forms? What about how you and mama met?" Zeno stopped swinging the wooden sword for a while, turning to his father who was drinking tea.

"Well.. the demon slaying corps have existed for around a 100 years." Zeno counted and came to the conclusion that, since they were around the beginning of the Edo period, the corps were established in the start of the Sengoku period. His father continued.

"The first generation of breath users have long since passed, but I heard they all had these markings. The first ever user was a sun breath user and all breaths were derived from it. Their descendants are somewhat still known and can be recognized by their earrings. Also the descendants of the original's brothers are known, the Tsugikuni line is still strong.

Your mother is from a branch family of the first ever thunder breathing user, I learned the forms from the current main branch"

Zeno listened as his father talked about various subjects. Mentioning the Ubuyashiki family that always produced the boss of the corps, the kakushi aka clean up crew, and the shinobi and blacksmith villages. Even some Warrior Priests fight Demons religiously.

His father had obviously already planned Zeno's future and how he and Zeuxis would be a part of the corps. Hinoe could possibly be married off in a political move. If someone from their family would become a pillar they would get recognized as the main thunder family and not have to live in a rural village anymore. It was clear his father had himself gave up on trying to become a pillar but he had high hopes for his sons.

Zeno swallowed the bittersweet smile coming up. He was 8 already, 9 next year and that meant he had less than a decade with his family left before his body will stop aging at 17. He wouldn't be able to fulfill those expectations. Wouldn't be able to see Hinoe older than 10 and Zeuxis 12. But damn if he wouldn't try his hardest and make sure his brother would be a pillar.

But he could only give Zeuxis the tools to become a pillar. The rest was up to his resolve.


	13. Chapter 13 Swordsmith village

Zeno is 10 and getting his first real sword. His father was leading him outside of the rural village first time in Zeno's current life. Leaving mother, Zeuxis and a 3 almost 4 year old Hinoe by themselves. There wasn't really a chance something would happen to them, the entire village is surrounded with wisteria. No, he was more worried about father and himself.

What if his training wasn't enough? What if they encountered a really strong demon and Zeno wasn't good enough to protect his father. What if his father would get injured and die of an infection on the road. He gripped at the hem of his yukata and walked faster as he listened to his father talk.

"Soon we'll be meeting some kakushi's who will take us to the black smith village. You won't be getting anything as strong as a Nichirin blade but a normal one of the best quality." So no Nichirin blade for Zeno just yet.

"It must be made for you specially, I won't accept anything under the best for my son. You'll use it in the final election this year, as you are entering a bit early, but you're ready for it and I can't teach you more without you going through the elections. You need experience to make the training count."

His father's voice bore through him. Zeno shivered, in this day and age 12 was the normal age to send apprentices to the final election. And it's going to be held sometime after Zeno's 11th birthday this year. Zeno knew he literally couldn't be killed but still entering early would be scary. Mostly just for being younger than everybody.

He smiled while his father talked to the two kakushi who would be their first carriers towards the blacksmith village. Soon Zeno receives a blindfold that he wraps around his eyes and over his ears like instructed. And although the many changes in carriers was a bit disorienting Zeno survived.

Then he met the man who would forge his blade. His name was Kiyomichi Gou and the black haired swordsmith was easily over 50 already. The man had looked long at Zeno's father with a judging expression before resuming the talks about what kind of sword they wanted.

Later while spending some time with some of the apprentice swordsmiths he over heard some of the adults talking. And honestly he should have expected the age to be somewhat weird for these people.

Apparently even people over 20 years are still going to the final election and never returning. So a child under the usual age limit would be surprising when not even half of the adults can survive the election.

Zeno is still of the opinion that he should only enter after he is 12.


	14. Chapter 14 Entering the Election

Zeno turned the sheath in his hands yet again. The sheath itself was beautifully crafted with an orange base along with golden details making a dragon over it in smooth lines. Zeno would probably re-use it with his Nichirin sword when he gets one.

The sword old man Gou had crafted for Zeno resided in the sheath, snug and perfectly molded to have a better chance of actually killing demons than the normal swords that leave the demons alive but decapitated. Buy the sword was no Nichirin blade and even if he has a better chance of killing demons it wasn't completely assured.

Not that it bothered Zeno, he has trust in old man Gou's skills.

He should really stop fiddling with the sheath, but nervous habits. His usual happy go lucky personality doesn't fit nervous ticks though. So instead he stops and widens his smile along with swinging his arms on his sides as he looks around curiously.

Most applicants are well over 18. Zeno stands out like a sore thumb and concerned looks are thrown towards him every minute. There had been at least 5 well meaning adults asking what such a young boy doing here and getting shocked when he replied he's here for the election.

The most concerned and persistent adult had been this brown haired and eyed lady in a purple kimono. She was quite adamant about him being a child and as such not belonging here and making assurances that she will guide him out of here. Zeno is sure she was well meaning but it got kind of annoying. Even now she was still sending worried teary eyed glances at him every minute.

Zeno wasn't worried. Why? Because Zeno's father told him not to worry, that he was definitely stronger than everybody else entering. His father said he was around the level of a very high mizunoe, the second lowest rank. Which is already much higher than people trying to pass the final election.

Suddenly someone starts speaking and Zeno pays careful attention. He listens to the rules the two Kinoto level demon slayers tell them, and then suddenly it's time to enter the mountain top where there are no more wisteria.

He smiles as people start streaming upwards towards what was essentially a deathtrap for many of these people.

Zeno wills himself not to worry and enters.


	15. Chapter 15 Returning from the Election

Zeno slows his breathing and under his breath he whispers.

"Ichi no kata: Hekireki Issen"

And then the demon's head is on the ground. Ready to be burnt to cinders by the sun that is rising in an hour or so. Zeno counts and yes, that was the twenty-fourth tine he beheaded a demon. Almost all the people he has run into had to be saved, are people really this incompetent? At least there were a few younger people that didn't need saving.

Zeno seems to recall his father telling him something relating to this. That the younger the person when learning breathing styles the better chance of them learning it well. Older people already have a very defined worldview and specifically formed muscles so it is harder for them to change those traits.

The week is just about over around now and Zeno has almost arrived back. The election wasn't really hard at all.

He spends the rest of the evening hanging around and waiting for the other survivors. And once he has decided on an ore he books it straight out of the mountain. And even as he left as soon as he could it still takes over three days to get to the familiar rural village.

When Zeno arrives home, it's to a six year old brother screaming Welcome home at his face. His father smiling and as is his mother. He almost bursts out crying, they were waiting for him. Such good people.

"Welcome home, now how was it?" Father asks in the same mellow yet strict voice he always has.

"Easy-peasy! If it was that easy to me then it will be child's play to Zeuxis who has already started training"

"Wonderful Zeno" Mother who is holding a four year old Hinoe smiles at him and Zeuxis's smile widens.

"Anija, I can already do four of the forms! I'll be a pillar who protects mama, papa, Hinoe and you anija from all the demons! Papa said I can maybe enter the final election even earlier than you anija!" Zeuxis smiles and Zeno ruffles his hair. The short dirty blonde locks ruffled yet much neater than Zeno's.

Zeno smiles and just enjoys the moment.


	16. Chapter 16 Brother's Perspective

Most of the time, Zeuxis doesn't understand his dear Anija.

Anija is the most amazing, anija is the most brightest, anija is the most gentle person (besides Haha-ue of course!)and anija is the most bestest best anija in the world!

But sometimes, just sometimes, anija gets this look on his face. And it scares Zeuxis so, so so much. What could it mean? Mist of all Zeuxis hates when anija makes the face. Anija always makes the face when he thinks no one is looking, and the face makes Zeuxis want to make sure anija never makes it again.

And so Zeuxis tries. His goal to make sure anija never makes that face again.

Zeuxis smiles more, because it makes anija smile. Zeuxis hugs and trotts around with Hinoe more, because it makes anija smile. Zeuxis trains more and more, because anija smiles when Zeuxis asks for praise.

But time and time again, Zeuxis catches anija making the face. Hinoe too sometimes, but she understands even less than Zeuxis what kind of face it is. Zeuxis is sure even Haha-ue and Chichi-ue have caught anija making the face, but they never say anything about it while Zeuxis and Hinoe are there.

And it frustrates him so much. But that doesn't mean Zeuxis will give up on trying to make the face disappear completely.

And just rarely, really rarely, Zeuxis sees the golden scales.

Anija tries really hard to make sure they never see them. Anija doesn't talk about them, not even to Haha-ue and Chichi-ue. Sometimes Zeuxis entertains the thought that he is half sure anija doesn't even know about the scales. But every time Zeuxis sees them, anija reacts to them so anija definitely knows.

The very first time Zeuxis saw the scales isn't really clear in his mind. Hinoe couldn't even crawl back then. The golden was really only a flash in his memory, something to do with Chichi-ue's pretty blade, hung high on the wall, falling down.

The first clear memory of the golden scales was when he was still four. Anija was helping Haha-ue cook and Zeuxis had sneaked in to watch. Looking back on it, Zeuxis is aware both anija and Haha-ue knew he was watching.

The boiling pot had tipped over when anija was adding something in and that's when he saw them. It was only a glimpse, a few seconds really. But Zeuxis saw them, remembers them.

The scales were a more pretty yellow than Chichi-ue's sword or anija's hair. They were sparkling, brighter than anija's eyes and more vibrant than Zeuxis had ever seen. The only thing even close in the sparkling color was the gold he had seen decorating a carriage going through the town. Or Chichi-ue's sword, both are really pretty Zeuxis thinks.

Zeuxis had stared, mesmerized for the few seconds they were in sight before they disappeared. And when they were gone, Zeuxis hoped to see them again.

(He only later realized how cruel and wrong and stupid it was to wish that, since they only appeared when anija was hurt.)

Anija had lied, that the spilled water hadn't touched him. It had, Zeuxis saw, and he was sure Haha-ue had seen them too, but she said nothing and only smiled. They didn't mention it, and instead anija went to get more water.

The next and third time Zeuxis saw the scales, he was spying again. This time while Chichi-ue and anija were doing training. Zeuxis had been watching, fascinated by the constant clashing between bokken, when it happened.

Anija slipped and Chichi-ue hit him straight on his forehead. Anija fell down, and Zeuxis was already feeling tears welling up about to run over to his anija's side when-

Zeuxis froze.

The scales appeared, littering anija's forehead where Chichi-ue had struck him. The gold shimmered under the sunlight where anija laid on the ground. And Zeuxis savored the sight of the golden scales.

And once again the scales disappeared in under three seconds. Training proceeded on normally and Zeuxis was stuck alone, thinking about the pretty golden scales.

Zeuxis didn't see the scales for a long time after that. So Zeuxis hadn't expected to see them again while getting food from town.

The drunk man holding a bottle was haggling the price down, Zeuxis could hear it even from far away. They were making such a rukus, and they were just passing by. Zeuxis should have expected something to happen.

The man swung the arm holding the bottle, which slipped from the drunkards hand and started heading straight for sleeping Hinoe in anija's arms.

Zeuxis saw how fast anija moved, saw how anija angled himself just perfectly for Hinoe and him to be completely out of harms way. The bottle hit anija straight on his cheek and Zeuxis started yelling, both at the drunkard and out of worry for anija.

Zeuxis didn't see them as perfectly this time because he was yelling at the drunkard. But Zeuxis still saw the bloody teeth swiftly covered by pretty golden scales. This time Zeuxis didn't even have the chance to marvel at the scales, they disappeared so quick. The only proof his anija had been injured was the blood dripping from his cheek down his jaw.

And even the following events were completely normal. Even though the walk home and dinner was normal, Zeuxis was haunted for the rest of the day by the sight of bloody teeth through his anija's cheek.

That night Zeuxis swore, he would protect his anija. Nobody would hurt his anija. And neither that face nor the scales were going to appear on his anija ever again.

** AN: Zeuxis poor baby is on the brink of developing a brother complex...**


	17. Chapter 17 Nichirin Blade

"Ai-ue, Hi-oe has a quewtion!" Four year old Hinoe babbles on his lap.

"What is it" Zeno asks in a calm manner, watching as her clear blue eyes brighten up.

"When is the-the Nizi- ni..nitti" Hinoe bites her lip and frowns. The reason being she can not say the word she wants to say properly. Shaking her head and short black hair she tugs at Zeno's sleeve to get an answer from him.

"Nichirin blade?"

"Yeaw! Niziwin bwade! So when ih it co-ing?"

"This month, be patient Hinoe, you'll see it soon enough. Then we'll see if the blade transforms into a pretty yellow color like dads or if your Aniue gets some other color." Zeno slowly tells her and plays with the gray bow in her hair.

"Yeawh!"

And a few days later the promised Nichirin blade arrives.

Zeno watches in fascination as the blade goes from yellow to red to black. Black apparently is an unlucky color and not many live long. But only the very tip was black, it wasn't even easily noticeable. Yellow indicates thunder and red fire.

He has had fire breathing abilities in his dragon form before. That's probably why the red appeared. But it was mostly from hilt to a bit beyond the middle point in yellow. The black wasn't seen easily even if you check it very closely.

Zeno smiled while sliding the blade inside the sheath old man Gou had made for his first sword. Zeno turned and watched as the kasagaikarasu arrived in through the window and told him his first mission. The crow seemed a little like him from his very early life back in Kouka. Like the very early Kouka, before dragon blood early, when he was actually a child early. Back then he was always wanting to be useful, being cheerful yet he always had mischief in mind.

He pats the crow and listens as it snickers and proceeds to tell him where to go. Some demon had taken a habit of munching on people who were on border patrol in a high lord's village. The lord had seen people missing and gotten even more anxious, sending more patrols out. It was becoming a serious problem.

Zeno hums in thought for a while before nicknaming the crow Gaben. A name made by smashing together Guen, Abi and Shuten.

Well, to the south he goes.


	18. Chapter 18 Encounter

Zeno is 12 soon 13 and officially one of the top 100 strongest demon slayers alive. He goes on missions, visits wisteria houses, talks to other slayers and visits home. Zeuxis is currently in extra training to get into the Final Election early.

Zeno stares at the town close by, petting the very loyal crow. He is glad Kasugaikarasu aren't really normal crows and can live up to almost 500, this way he has some company. It was practically a flash of genius to name the crow by combining his old friends names.

He pulls his legs into a better position on the tree branch he is sitting on. Zeuxis is turning 8 this week and Hinoe turned 6 a few months ago. Their parents decided they would have a huge celebration. Zeno barely made it home from the last mission on time for it.

When he made it home both Zeuxis and Hinoe had looked so very relieved. Like they thought something happened to him for arriving this late. Zeno had seen how his parents had smiled and reassured them that nothing would happen to Zeno, that he is very strong.

The world seems very determined to make sure he starts distancing himself from attachments sooner rather than later. Which is reasonable and should be the best choice for his situation. It would be easier to just disappear if he was distant.

Bonds create unnecessary drama, Zeno was once told.

Then again, bonds are very important and as much as they pain him, he will still make bonds. And no matter how they may pain him he will treasure them for as long as he can.

Well, onto the demon he was currently hunting, Gaben said it to be known as a seductress. Getting pray by luring young single men into the forest, so technically he should be bait enough just by himself.

Zeno drops down from the tree and starts strolling down the street. This village was pretty far from the gloriously being rebuilt Edo castle. And since Edo is the current capital, villages that were far from it didn't have as much military presence. Which is good for him as the demon slayer corps aren't recognized as a legitimate organization.

Although this particular village seems to have a lot of Dojo's. Just a while ago he passed at least two different dojos

"Ouch"

Zeno held his head on the ground. Oops, he zoned out too much. And bumped into someone. And fell to the ground. Zeno looks up, where a rather pretty but intimidating person stares down at him.

The pretty guy had pale skin, blueish black hair and blue eyes framed in pink eyelashes. If Zeno squints he could see a sharp fang poking out from his lips.

"Hakuji!" Both the pretty guy and Zeno look up towards where the yell had come from. It is a middle aged kind looking man who is clearly waiting on pretty guy 'Hakuji' to do something.

'Hakuji' seems to snap out of whatever he was thinking and mumbles something under his breath while offering up his hand. Zeno grabs it with a small toothy grin and hoists himself back up standing.

"Ah! Zeno is sorry! Zeno is sorry! Zeno dazed out for a moment you see!" Zeno says with a bright voice dusting his clothes and shaking the hand 'Hakuji' had offered up. "Nice to meet you, Zeno is Zeno!" He finishes up his small talk

"Nice to meet you, my name is Hakuji" Hakuji says quickly, cheeks dusting a light pink tint with his brows furrowing. He glances up and smiles before bowing and running after the man from earlier.

And Zeno waves after them, watching as the man sees him waving and starts waving too. Prompting Hakuji to also wave as they walk further away.

He seemed like a good kid.  
Now anyway, that seductress demon.


	19. Chapter 19 Root Of The Problem

Zeno stares as he slowly approaches the slanted rock. He just found something quite interesting if he is right.

The man in a very traditional get up stares back and Zeno remembers. This man, he is the original demon. The one accidentally created back in 700's Heian period by a doctor searching for immortality.

The man is sitting on the slanted rock, staring at him, intrigue clear in plum red eyes. Zeno tilts his head, an innocent smile forming on his lips. What was this the name of this guy again?

"Mister! Can you tell Zeno where the pharmacy is? Zeno is getting medicine for mother far away from home because the local pharmacy's roof collapsed and the doctor died!" Zeno let his tone shift naturally according to what he was saying. Seeming like a boring boy getting medicine for his mother. Affected and seemingly sad at the mention of a dead doctor.

The man looks mildly annoyed, furrowing his brow, gaze slowly creeping towards Zeno's hands. Upon seeing Zeno's forever smooth skin, none of the usual calloused hands of demon slayers, his gaze lightens a little. The sword Zeno has tucked behind his back under his haori feels heavy on Zeno's back.

"It's nearby, a few streets over to the left" This worlds currently strongest creature replies to him.

Zeno says a quick thank you mister and leaves, hopping towards where he pointed.

Truly interesting this creature, Kisajishi Mugen right? Kirijo Mutsu? Kotobuki Murani? Kuribushi Mogami?

It was some combination of K and M names Zeno is sure.


	20. Chapter 20 Wait

Zeno smiles, he is staying at his family home currently. Why? Because Zeuxis is 9 and was granted permission to go to the final election early. Very early. Even earlier than Zeno.

And he fears. For his little brother's safety. He knows that since it was easy for him it should be child's play for Zeuxis, goddamn prodigy level of talented kid, but he cant get the image of Zeuxis dead in a ditch out of his head.

"Ow!" Zeno snaps back to reality.

"Sorry Hinoe. Aniue is very sorry" Zeno immediately starts smoothing out her black hair. He had been braiding Hinoe's hair and accidentally pulled too hard.

"It's okay Aniue, I know you're worried about Onii-sama, I'm sure he will be fine!" 7 years old and already so mature. Zeno wished Hinoe would still act childishly with him. Ask for hugs and piggyback rides.

"I know" He smiles at her.

Time passes, and soon he and his family move to the hallway facing the door.

Zeno is there sitting next to his father, who has mother at his side and Hinoe to her side. They watch the door and sit in a strict posture as time ticks on. Surely Zeuxis will be home soon.

Zeno knows Zeuxis would rush home. Just like Zeno did, craving the smell of home and the familiar soothing presence the family gives. He watches and knows that Hinoe's legs have already gone numb by the waiting.

They have been sitting here for four hours now. When he was at the election his family minus at the time baby Hinoe had sat for two hours until he came back. Four hours, that was a worrying amount. Surely Zeuxis will soo-

The front door opens and Zeuxis steps in with an expression of relief. Yet it looks far more haunted than it did before leaving.

"Onii-sama!" Hinoe tries to stand up to rush to hug Zeuxis, happiness shining from her face, but falls forwards from her numb legs.

But she stands up right up again and then rushes into Zeuxis's arms hugging him. Zeuxis chokes back a sob and clutches onto Hinoe like a lifeline. Zeno watches as Zeuxis whimpers names, names of children that died in the election most likely and buries his head into the crook of Hinoe's neck.

And Zeno cant help but just feels so so so relieved. His brother is safe.


	21. Chapter 21 His Blade

Zeno had to leave for a mission before Zeuxis got his Nichirin Blade. And hasn't seen his family in quite the while. He sends letters, and messages to his family and Zeuxis who has now too begun the demon hunter lifestyle.

When Zeno is 15, a year after Zeuxis passed the final election and only 2 years left in his clock, he sees Zeuxis's Nichirin blade for the first time.

Zeno is on his way to a mission in the next village when he sees someone familiar. He stops walking and watches the familiar person turn towards him.

He recognizes his little brother instantly and soon he and Zeuxis are talking under a tree. He asks his brother what the blade looks like and his brother grins, like it was the best question of the century, and then proceeds to hand him the sword.

Zeno marvels at the guard and the tsuka. The guard has a beautiful design of a thunder strike fitted in a square. He looks over the black over orange tsuka before turning to admire the sheath.

The sheath itself has a base color of black that has gold shooting off in lightning like shapes from guard downwards decorating it. Zeno then continues to take the sheath off to see the blade itself.

He looks at the practically glowing blade. It's definitely quality, well crafted with care and no flaws visible It's color is a soothing pure light yellow turning into a golden gradient. The whole sword is completed with a few white highlights. So very beautiful Zeno thinks.

His own was still the same, as it hasn't broken yet. The guard of his own sword is plain, just a black circle. The sheath old man Gou had made is still in use, but already damaged. Zeno should ask the old man to make a new one with the same design. The tsuka of Zeno's blade is otherwise the same as Zeuxis's with a base orange color with a black tsuka-ito over it.

He examines it for a long time while trying to ignore the smug grin of his brother. Telling Zeno, just proclaiming, that his was better and more like their fathers.

Zeno does enjoy the feeling of seeing his brother again. And they talk for a while, realizing they have been sent on the same mission.

Even when they separate after fighting the onsen demon Zeno has that warm feeling in his chest.


	22. Chapter 22 Disappear

Zeno didn't think the first time he saw Hakuji and Keizo that he would see them ever again. But it just so happens that the village they live in is in an area Zeno passes through often to get home from missions.

After the third time they had seen each other passing through town they had become somewhat more acquaintanced. Hakuji was 15 when they first met and as such older than Zeno by 2 years, that age difference makes the black-haired boy always look at Zeno in concern.

It isn't exactly odd to see young children on their own but well-meaning people will always be concerned. Hakuji is one of these people. As a result, he had dragged Zeno back to the Dojo he lived in one time when Zeno was passing through and mentioned he hadn't eaten in days.

During that time, he got introduced properly to the older man he had seen the first time with Hakuji and to the man's sickly daughter. Keizo and his daughter Koyuki seemed both like very nice people at first meeting.

They proved to be even better than just nice people with time.

Most of the time when Zeno traveled through the village, he stopped by the Souryuu Dojo. He helped them out with what he could. Helping watch Koyuki so Hakuji could train, go run errands for them and other simple tasks to help with. And in the 3 years of knowing these 3 people Zeno had grown quite fond of them.

Zeno is pretty sure they saw him as another well-meaning town folk person. To Zeno they were just another acquaintance family like the Suzuki's down in Hokkaido or the Moriyama's in capital Edo.

It was still a somewhat devastating surprise to come to the village as a 16-year-old and expect everything to be fine when it was not.

Keizo and Koyuki had both died from the well being poisoned by a rival dojo. Hakuji had gone and killed off everyone in the dojo responsible before disappearing.

Even after Zeno went to Keizo and Koyuki's funerals and kept thinking back to Hakuji.

Just where could the boy have gone off to?


	23. Chapter 23 Kameki

Zeno was 11 when he first ever saw an Ubuyashiki. They didn't talk and the graceful woman just nodded at him to acknowledge him. And that was enough, he knew how the power system worked and truly respected the family. He later on learned the woman's name was Yoko, wife of the current oyakata-sama.

Zeno had not thought too much of them. They were the ones giving him his missions, that was all. Now recently since he had been promoted to the highest rank, a hashira, he finally got to meet the oyakata. The meeting went as well as it could have and now, he is still sitting here waiting as the others have already left.

Since the second time is right now, he wants to talk a bit more. Zeno is 16 and it's soon his time to depart. He decided, might as well inform the current head while he still has time.

The question burns his tongue. To let them know he exists or not?

He watches Ubuyashiki Kameki look towards him. The "oyakata" has one working eye and the other is already taken by the festering disease. Kameki is calm and smiles at him, then asks a maid to bring tea. When the tea is delivered and the maid gone only then does Zeno relax and sit down.

"Hello, it's nice to finally meet you oyakata-sama, without the presence of others" Zeno smiles and he knows the man is wary.

"Hello Zeno-kun, would you care to tell me the purpose why you stayed behind after the meeting tonight?" Kameki smiles and Zeno would love to just gaze into the gentle eyes of this person forever.

Something in his ear whispers to Zeno. This family will go far.

"Well.."


	24. Chapter 24 Left Behind

Zeno looks at the blade in his hands. It's not even chipped, looking as new as the day he got it. The day when Hinoe was still a little girl who called him Ai-ue.

Zeno open's the shoji door and steps into the room. Ten year old Hinoe is sleeping against the chest of a 12 year old Zeuxis. Today is his 17 birthday and he is leaving.

Zeno crouches down to the level of the futon they are sleeping on and ruffles Hinoe's black hair. She was the only one who inherited black hair from their mother as was Zeuxis the only who got mother's brown eyes. Pity he thinks, Hinano has beautiful brown eyes. But apparently their father's genes run strong.

She is sleeping after watching and cheering on both of her big brothers remedial training done by their father. Zeuxis stirs and hugs the girl even tighter, Hinoe's black hair intertwining with Zeuxis's dark blond, more brown than Zeno's gold.

Zeno leans down, hugging both siblings and he lets a few tears fall down. He told their parents he is going on a along term mission, a cover up Ubuyashiki Kameki came up with. During which he will most likely 'die'.

This will be the last time he will see either of them as their loving older brother Ryumaki Zeno. Ouryuu has waited long enough.

He stays like that for a while, finally getting up when Zeuxis stirs a little from the extra weight. He stands up, smiling the same kind of bittersweet smile his mother had showed him that one evening a long time ago. Turning around back towards the shoji door.

"Anija.." He stops just about to start closing the shoji door. Glancing towards the now sleepily sitting up Zeuxis. Zeno smiles and whispers from the door.

"Go back to sleep Zeuxis."

"Where you going Anija?" His little brother rubs his eyes and then yawns.

"Don't worry, I'll be going on a longer mission now, so go back to sleep"

"No... Aniue please, stay" Came Hinoe's voice from behind Zeuxis.

"Go back to sleep both of you, Im sure I'll be fine"

"But Aniue.. okay.. but you have to promise to come back as soon as you can!" Hinoe smiles like she won the argument. Zeno smiles and he knows, that if he makes that promise he will be breaking it.

"Hinoe.. you know I cant promise that, but I'll try. Now sleep." Zeno says and then gently closes the shoji door, ignoring the small "Wait Anija!" Zeuxis shouted right before.

He closes his eyes.

It's time he leaves

H̶e̶ ̶w̶o̶u̶l̶d̶ ̶n̶e̶v̶e̶r̶ ̶c̶o̶m̶e̶ ̶b̶a̶c̶k̶

H̶e̶ ̶c̶o̶u̶l̶d̶ ̶n̶e̶v̶e̶r̶ ̶c̶o̶m̶e̶ ̶b̶a̶c̶k̶

H̶e̶ ̶n̶e̶v̶e̶r̶ ̶c̶a̶m̶e̶ ̶b̶a̶c̶k̶


	25. AN

**_9053 words_**

If new information comes from the manga, expect modifications to the story. Thank you for reading.

1\. Sanemi and Genya's mothers canon name revealed, Miyako 宮心 corrected to Shizu.

This chapter is a long AN that I will be adding notes to all through out during the fic. Any and all questions asked will be answered in this specific chapter.

So if you want your questions answered, go ahead and ask! I'll add the answers as I have time!

At the very bottom of this will be a small recap of what happens in the chapters before this. So if you happen to forget, go ahead and come back to this note to read.

Questions:

"WAIT WHAT?! HELPING A KID BECOME A MAFIA BOSS?! Could Zeno at one life time ago be Reborn from katekyo hitman reborn?!"

No, he is not reborn but the reference in question is the KHR world. Zeno does go there but he is an entirely different character? How can you mix him with reborn, he's just there to go along with the ride.

"Wait that's Hakuji!? The kid that eventually becomes a upper moon demon?!"

Yes! It's Hakuji before he becomes Akaza! I just loved his character so much I had to slip him in there!

Recap: Zeno is born on his normal birthdate of August 30, on year 1609 to Ryumaki Denis and Ryumaki Hinano. First 4 years he lives without his memories and regains them when his mother explains the wisteria tree to him.

He gets two little siblings, a 5 years younger brother Zeuxis and 7 years younger little sister Hinoe. He starts training the art of the lighting breathing style at age 7 and passes the final election at an early age of 11. He gets his Nichirin blade along with his Kasugaikarasu nicknamed Gaben and starts going on missions.

His little brother goes through the election even earlier than him. Zeno meets different people like Hakuji or the original demon during his time doing missions. Soon his time to leave comes up and the year before he informs the Ubuyashiki's of who he is.

Then he leaves at age 17 and goes to sleep in a cave to pass some time.


	26. Chapter 25 Awaken

Zeno's eyes itch. He tries to lift his hand towards the itching eyes to scratch, but he is met with resistance. The ground has started to slightly bury him it seems.

Zeno wiggles his hand, getting it free and lifting it finally, starting to rub his itching eyes. He lets out a long-suffering sigh, humming a little, testing out his voice.

The only sounds he hears are running water and birds chirping. The ground under, and above, him feels like slightly jagged rock, damp soil and on other parts like fresh grass. The wind barely blows inside but it does make some of the grass shift and tickle him, so it should be okay to get up.

Zeno lifts his body up slowly from the cave floor. Zeno feels the soil above on his body start to trickle down as he turns into a sitting position. His legs are still buried under soil, although he is surprised his face was unburied. Not that it would have bothered him.

The cave he had crawled into was very secluded, on a mountain nobody ever visits because of just how hard it is to climb. It was almost always under the sun and surrounded by wisteria too, so no demons would accidentally stumble upon his slumbering body.

His eyes open slowly as he stands up to start walking towards the opening of the cave.

Zeno blinks and yawns. It was a good day to wake up from a rather long nap. The sun is bright and the forestry surrounding everything looks really nice, did it look this nice when he went to sleep, Zeno doesn't remember.

He glances around for the kasugaikarasu that had followed him here. Gaben is nowhere in sight, the crow had probably gone back to Ubuyashiki estate to wait for him to wake up. Zeno squeezes the amulet hanging heavy on his neck, not having been in Zeno's sight for years.

Just how long was he asleep, at least a few decades right Zeno assumes. Knowing that Kiyome, Kameki's son has probably already passed on stings mutely in a corner of his mind. He went to sleep almost right after leaving home and the plot starts moving around 1900.

So, he should have at least a 2 centuries to spend, Right?


	27. Chapter 26 Overslept

Zeno had done goofed.

He did not in fact have 2 centuries to spend. He had a few decades to work with lets say around 45 years. That is a very hurried pace for him. He is used to working slow. Like really slow, hundreds of years slow. The reason why is because trust takes time to build and he spends a miniscule amount out of all of his time in a particular world building it.

So it was currently 1865 and Keio era of Edo period had just begun, of course he missed the late 1600s, that's a bummer.

_Although he was going to miss them anyway with going to sleep like tha-_

Such a day as 1666 6.6 should have been recorded, he missed it again, how does he always miss it. He managed to always miss it no matter the world. And the 1600s are usually the century he decides to really go crazy. 1644, 1696 and not to forget he was born here in 1609 so this world's year 1420 was missed too.

Those years really are just something he enjoys fucking around with. There was this one world where he carved a rock shaped like the Marijuana leaf and wrote the year of 1420 on it. It was dug up as a fossil in the same world and he enjoyed that very much. And no don't look at him like that, he is a very bored man can you blame him.

He rambled again.

Focusing on the fact that he has a few years to re-establish contact with the Ubuyashiki family. Hopefully, depending on the years, Ubuyashiki Kagaya is not yet the head as he shouldn't even be born yet. Zeno wouldn't want to spook them, Kagaya's grandfather is most likely the oldest child and the next head. Zeno could relate to being the older brother.

_H̶E̶_ _̶W̶a̶S̶_ ̶a̶ _̶H̶o̶R̶r̶i̶B̶L̶e̶ ̶o̶L̶D̶e̶R̶ ̶b̶R̶o̶t̶H̶e̶r̶_

But now it's about time to get to work, see information about the demons and stuff, he has to be up to date. And a lot of important information has most likely changed or Zeno has forgotten important things. Like the name of the original demon.

Yikes, he forgot that during his sleep. Kameki told it to him, even he told it to Zeno back when he was first entering this world but ehh, over 2 centuries of sleep took the name from him, again.

Also the current strongest demons, who to be wary of.


	28. Chapter 27 Kareki and Kiriga

So Kibutsuji Muzan, the name of the original demon as he discovered, or as he liked to call him Mu-chan, (_haha gettit'? Cuz his name is Muzan and Zeno changed the z to ch but it still sounds mostly the same and hahaa?_) created this weird demon hierarchy.

The 12 Kizuki didn't really exist that much yet back in good ol'1600. Zeno had heard back then some rumors about demons with numbers in their eyes, but those rumors had only started to spread in the very last years.

So the upper moons were something to be wary of, but the lower moons seemed easy enough. He encountered lower 2, and most of his information came from him. The demon couldn't say Mu-chan's name, and so he wrote it instead because of some curse and all and just wow. So complicated.

Ubuyashiki Kareki is the (horrible) name of the current head. He only recently became the head officially, as the former oyakata Ubuyashiki Kariya had stubbornly lived and already spent around 5 years only sleeping in bed, reaching a record of years lived for an oyakata.

As father Kariya couldn't really handle the corps while sleeping over 20 hours a day, Kareki had been handling his fathers duties since he was 12. This had managed to get Kareki already a lot of respect before officially becoming the head.

Kareki has three children already. One of which is a boy, namely one adorable 4 year old Ubuyashiki Kiriga who should be the one succeeding him.

Kareki, just like his name is starting to wither from the family disease. It hasn't affected the teen too badly yet as he is still indeed only 17. Zeno must wonder though, what kind of father is Kariya to name his heir 'dead tree'. Zeno can't be too sure though, the Kanji in his name could be something else other than the wither in Kare. Names during this period really are weird.

Kiriga though, is a lovely name combined from the kanji of mist Kiri and 'Ga' for 'gracious, elegant, graceful and refined'. As for how he knew the kanji in Kiriga's name, he saw the boy practice writing it. It worried Zeno a bit though, a 4 year old practicing writing their own name.

And even though it's normal to have children early, 13 for a man is still rather early even during these times. He cant blame the Ubuyashiki family though, with the rate the disease affects he only has around 25 years to live since birth and he needs to train the heir to be a proper oyakata-sama. Kareki was very lucky to have his father live right up until reaching age 30, an incredible feat for an Ubuyashiki.

Because of this curse all children including boys are raised as girls until the age of 13. Only the heir, oldest son gets special education but even then they act as girls so no one can tell which one is the heir. This hadn't been the case in Kameki's era, Kiyome had clearly grown as a boy.

Kareki, when he met the man was calm, just like Kameki. He had greeted him with eyes full of respect and sympathy. Kareki told him it was passed down knowledge in Ubuyashiki family that there lived a sleeping dragon god in this land who would aid 'the destined one' in defeating Kibutsuji Muzan.

Zeno had slightly wondered just how had Kameki passed down their conversation to his heir, Kiyome, and so on. And just how had the story changed in 2 centuries, he had referred in his conversation with Kameki to the protagonist as the empathetic child. He had told Kameki a short version of how he got his dragon god immortality, and the story had turned him into some sort of holy dragon with the passage of time.

Kareki explained that everyone in the Ubuyashiki family before him and his father particularly had been a strong believer of the dragon and destined one rising soon. And this was the reason Kareki knew even some of the details that should have blurred more with time.

The entire family is very interesting and so are their traditions. Zeno might stick around more often to learn more.

Well... he managed to contact the Ubuyashiki's again at least.


	29. Chapter 28 The Hashira

Zeno has just begun his great investigation of the current state of the corps.

He is lying flat on his stomach observing the aftermath of the hashira meeting that just happened from the roof of the house. It gave a clear view on what is happening on the engawa of the house opposite to him.

Kuroshi Junpei is a weird man, Zeno decided. The man was the currently oldest hashira of the demons slayers at age 46, surviving to this age with the lethality of the wind style. The most experienced, the strongest, the one people of the corps thought of when they think ultimate strength they can reach as humans.

Junpei was considering retirement. Considering because the mission Kareki suggested to him had such an increased chance of encountering an upper moon, aka certain death for the wind hashira. Because Junpei had aged so much was the biggest reason why Junpei wouldn't survive an encounter with an upper moon. Zeno could get that much out of Junpei's conversation with the current Flame hashira Rengoku Eijuro.

Eijuro would be considered the oldest if Junpei retired and he was resigning himself to shoulder the kind of pressure and responsibility being the oldest came with.

Eijuro, Zeno could clearly see was a descendant of the flame pillar, Kajiri Takeo, from when Kameki was the head. Even before Takeo, their family had very distinct looks and had been prominent in the corps so it was no surprise the line was still staying strong.

He thought he recognized a few names from the conversation, like the name of Eijuro's recently born son, Rengoku Shinjuro. That was a character still alive in the original story. Zeno also recognized the current young water hashira. Urokodaki Sakonji happened to be a very important person to the story.

He then heard the name of the new rather young, some 18-ish year old, lightning hashira, and couldn't recognize the family name. He had almost frozen when he did not in fact recognize the name, he really slept for a far longer time than he was supposed have.

He had wondered where his brother's and sister's descendants were. He promised to protect them. Tracking them down after a small nap of a few decades would have been child's play. Now it's been 2 centuries and he doesn't know for sure if he can track down Hinoe's or Zeuxis's descendants.

He could only hope the Ryumaki blood ran strongly and their families kept producing lighting hashira's. So, investigating one Kuwajima Jigoro's family line would be added to his to do later list.


	30. Chapter 29 Paintings

_"Zeno dear could you turn Hinoe a bit more towards me?" Mother says in a calm tone. Behind her father hide's a small smile behind his tea cup._

_Zeuxis yawns, and Hinoe lets out a small delighted laugh when Zeno shifts her position on his lap. Mother glances every so often back up from the paper. Zeno is focused on how her hand moves the brush eloquently. The black ink creating something on paper Zeno can't see from this position._

_Zeuxis finally breaks the stiff sitting position and whines a little. The 5-year-old quickly starts a barrage of questions._

_"Mother why are you painting us? When can we leave? Is it finished yet? Do I have to stay in this position any longer?" Hinoe grins at the questions while mother sighs._

_"Zeuxis," Father's voice is scolding, saying the 5-year-olds name so suddenly Zeuxis snaps right back into the proper position. "You must be patient."_

_At this Zeuxis let's out a huff and mutters, "But this has already taken hours" under his breath and Zeno lets out a small giggle. Which of course father hears and looks back at them with raised eye brows._

_Mother is sticking her tongue out now, probably adding last small details to the painting of her children. Her brush stops and she doesn't dip it again in the ink well, instead putting it down. She grins and gestures at them to come closer._

_Both Hinoe and Zeuxis immediately burst towards their mother. Eager to leave the positions they held for so long. Zeno gets up more slowly but you could still see the eagerness in his limbs and expression._

_Hinoe lets out a small laugh and starts talking, talk that isn't completely understandable but Zeno still catches a few words. Zeuxis is staring at the painting, brown eyes wide in awe._

_Zeno turns his own eyes to the painting. And it really is beautiful._

_Delicate brush strokes make the picture look softer. The happy wide grin on Hinoe make the picture cheerier. The excited expression Zeuxis has looks ready to pop out of the painting and have a life of his own._

_And Zeno can see his mother's love in the way she painted Zeno's fond expression with a small smile and affectionate eyes. Zeno smiles just a bit wider as he examines the rest of the painting._

_"Thank you, mother this is wonderful." Zeno says to mother and Hinano huffs. Says something about the how long lasting the ink is but Zeno is still so caught up staring at his painted siblings he can barely hear._

_His mother truly is an amazing woman._

That was the dream Zeno had last night. It was extremely bittersweet to him to see it but Zeno now realizes why the dream showed up. It was some kind of omen.

Zeno muses as Ubuyashiki Akira, Kareki's mother and Kariya's wife lays out a paper and brush. He watches Akari, Kareki's wife start grinding the ink for her mother-in-law. Zeno senses this is going to end with Zeno somehow included in the yearly family paintings

Kareki lets out a delicate laughter. Kiriga glances towards his father from where he is seated between Zeno and Kareki.

Zeno feels his eyebrow twitch. Just how did Kareki weasel him into these yearly family portraits again? "This is yearly proof that you don't age! Just in case you need someone to believe you quick when they don't!"

Maybe Zeno could somehow still get out of this. Akira glances up sharply and Zeno knows she has started painting. Now Zeno can't possibly try to weasel out. It was far too late for that.

After she paints this picture someone, most likely a hashira or a kakushi is going to paint the women. The men included normally just the oyakata and the heir bit now Zeno is also stuffed in.

Except, Kareki is probably somehow going to get him into painting the women. Zeno grits his teeth and counts. There is at least 4 older women, additionally Kareki's sisters, Kareki had so many sisters Zeno had lost count of them.

And Kiriga's one little sister.

Kareki had decided to not have any children after Fumiko was born. So, the 3-year-old was the current youngest member of the family.

Zeno sighs and thinks as time passes. The sound of Kiriga sifting his feet, the brush on paper and more ink getting grinded sporadically. The sounds from outside can be heard if you listen closely. Trees rustling, the water sloshing in the small stream going out from the pond and the occasional bird signing and wing flapping.

And before he knew it, Akari huffed out a small done.

Kiriga springs up, _just like Zeuxis and Hinoe_, and rushes towards Akira where he can see the finished piece. The 37-year-old grandmother lets out a huff of laughter and her 23-year-old daughter-in-law giggles.

Zeno helps Kareki stand up and leads him slowly to sit between his wife and mother. Zeno then stares at the painting from behind Kareki.

It is just like the real thing, Kareki on the right, Zeno on the left and Kiriga in smack middle. Their expressions are a little elevated. More cheery smiles than what their actual expressions were.

This is a tradition. Tradition of family coming together and sharing. Celebrating the new year and life.

Really, even if it wasn't invented yet, this holiday cheer carries over.


	31. Chapter 30 Festival

Zeno looks down in irritation. His geta are just a little too small for him. The hanao part is rubbing between his toes and he can tell a rash is supposed to be forming but instead a small golden sheen can be seen if you stare really hard at Zeno's feet.

Zeno's orange yukata is the opposite of his geta, being a bit too big. It's the reason why Zeno picked these particular geta in the first place, as these had the longest pieces of ha attached. Giving Zeno just the extra height he needs to make sure the hem of the yukata doesn't touch the ground.

Kiriga is looking around very excitedly and even that is restraining the boy. The boy looks ready to pop and do about anything but instead he remains dignified like he has been taught.

The Shogatsu festival they went to has probably the biggest budget around town because it looks amazing. Much more so than the ones Zeno saw back in 1600s.

Not really a good comparison. But Zeno was picky in choosing which festival he would bring the 5-year-old to. He has checked who are the organizers and how much effort they put into this festival. Zeno knew that Kiriga would probably only get to go to a festival a maximum of 3 times in his life.

All of them in his childhood. The curse limits their well-being so much that after the heir has his first spot of decay appear they are mostly confined to the area where the corps are located. Never to go further than the courtyard or the graveyard.

Kiriga bites the sakura mochi Zeno got for him. The 5-year-old reaches up an arm and tugs on his sleeve asking them to stop.

Zeno smiles and ruffles his hair fondly, watching the younger try to swat Zeno's hand away from his head. Zeno points to a nice spot a bit farther and Kiriga nods staring to run towards the stone slab's meant for sitting. Zeno smiles as he starts walking after Kiriga.

Zeno sits down and takes the geta off, picking at the hanao of the geta, trying to get it to loosen a little. Kiriga bites into his mochi again and looks like he is about to ask a question. Zeno gives Kiriga warm smile as he wills the golden scales between his toes to disappear.

"Hey Ouryuu-sama, when do the fireworks start?"

Zeno hums, staying silent for a while as Kiriga watches in curiosity, chewing another bite of the mochi. Soon he would assume, straight when the night changes from 1866 to 1867.

"In just a while, be patient, this is a good spot for seeing them."

Just as Zeno finishes talking, someone starts yelling about looking up the sky. And in a second or so the first of the fireworks are released.

Kiriga looks in fascination. Bright colors popping with noise so loud it rings both of their ears to an almost deaf state. It looks beautiful. Colorful and bright against the dark night sky.

Zeno smiles and whispers to himself **_and to his missing family_**.

"Happy New Year."


	32. Chapter 31 Kouen

Zeno lets out a content sigh as he finishes the last of his soba.

It's starting to get late and Zeno should decide if he wants to get back to the estate today or tomorrow. If he leaves now then he should be there by a time he could tuck Kiriga and Fumiko to bed. On the other hand, if he decides to go the safe route by sleeping through the night and leave tomorrow morning he would be back after breakfast has already passed.

And Zeno really doesn't want to miss breakfast. Akari makes extremely good food.

Zeno nods to himself sagely as he finally decides to just leave now. He pays for the soba and stands up to start walking away. Gaben stirs from where he was sleeping on a tree branch and flies towards Zeno. The kasugaikarasu lands on Zeno's shoulder and Zeno pets the crow as he nuzzles his beak into Zeno's hair.

A butterfly flies just by his face, then Zeno feels something hit his leg and thump down to the ground. Zeno glances and comes face to face with a child that looks about 5-years-old. It looks like the little guy ran in to him while he was chasing the butterfly. Zeno blinks before crouching down with a bright smile.

"Hello, are you okay kid? You had a little tumble there." Zeno holds a hand to the kid as the child stares at Zeno's hair.

"Crow. Butterfly." The kid says these 2 precise words while pointing first at Zeno's shoulder then to his head. Zeno blinks a little and shifts his offered-up hand to go back and pet Gaben.

"This guy? His name is Gaben, maybe you can pet him if he allows you to. But sorry, Zeno doesn't see any butterflies. One went by earlier but it's probably already gone." Zeno gives the kid a grin which the dark blue haired kid responds to by scowling.

"Butterfly! Head!" Zeno blinks once again this time in confusion. The child's vocabulary is very limited as expected so Zeno has to figure it out the meaning himself.

The child furrows his brows in agitation before trying to swat a hand at Zeno's head.

"Is there something weird about Zeno's head?" He frowns. Trying to rub his hand over his head to find just what is so agitating to the kid but the kid stops Zeno by grabbing the hand.

"Stop! Butterfly rest'in!" And suddenly it feels like a light bulb is switched on in Zeno's head. The butterfly from earlier landed in Zeno's head to rest there. It was so light that Zeno didn't notice it but the kid did.

"Oh! Zeno sees now, thanks little guy. Now let Zeno help you up." This time the kid grabs the offered-up hand and gets to his feet. Zeno grins as he swipes any dust off his haori while getting up.

The kid tugs at the hem of said haori. Zeno understands and grabs the child's hand and starts following while the kid drags him off to probably his parents. The kid contemplates something before opening his mouth to say one word.

"Name?"

"Ah, Zeno's name is Zeno. What's yours little guy?"

"Kouen."

"Mm Kou-kun then, how old are you? You look the same age as the son of a friend of Zeno's."

"6. Zeno?" So Kiriga is the same age as Kouen.

"Ahaha, Zeno's age you ask? Well compared to Kou-kun Zeno is already an old man, an old man for sure. Do you live here with your parents?"

"With Kaa-san. No Tou-san"

"Oh, Zeno is sorry. Are we at your Kaa-san's place soon? How far did you wander Kou-kun?"

"Far." Zeno glances at Kouen who is dragging Zeno towards his home. He looks ahead with extraordinarily pretty green eyes and a head full of blue hair. Zeno's mind is clicking, telling him that this kid looks suspiciously like one of the main three boys.

Isoshiro? Inumaru right? Hashiriko something? The guy who wore a pig head. Why did he wear a pig head again? Zeno focused more on memorizing the strict plot points not the traits of the cast.

The boy stops suddenly staring at the closed door of a small house. Zeno nods off at Kouen, who looks at Zeno before letting go of his hand. Kouen glances at Zeno once again before running towards the door.

Zeno is about to turn around before a small sound stops him. Kouen is looking back at him a hand reached out towards Zeno while the other is halfway to opening the door. The 6-year-old blinks before pursing his lips.

"Will..." Kouen stops again, cheeks taking on a red tint and eyes watering.

"Go on Kou-kun, what is it?" Zeno grins at the kid. A sudden noise comes from the house and then a woman is opening the door. Zeno listens halfheartedly as she rants at Kouen about how worried she was and how he should never wander out at night. She finally stops and notices Zeno before smiling.

"Thank you, you are the one who brought him home right? My name is Tachibana Kotami, that is standard Tachibana and Kotami in 小small 黎dawn if you want to write it." She smiles a gentle smile as she writes the kanji in air. Zeno puts it somewhere in to the back of his mind as he smiles a gentle smile.

"Nice to meet you Kotami-san, this one is named Ouryuu Zeno." Zeno glances at Kouen who is still reaching one hand out to him while the other is now tugging at the hem of his mother's kimono.

"Zeno is afraid it is time for him to leave, Zeno hopes to see you again if Zeno has any business here." He smiles and gives a little bow. This time as he turns around Kouen lets out once again a small sound of distress.

Zeno turns his head back with a tilt, still facing away. Kouen shifts, pretty green eyes shining with moisture.

"Will I see you, Zeno-san, again?"

The darker green eyes of Kotami widen as Kouen speaks. Zeno grins as he turns his head back and starts walking away.

"Maybe, we'll see in time Kou-kun!" Zeno shouts back. He'll have to visit this boy if he comes around here again.


	33. Chapter 32 Frail

"When I was, around 10 maybe..." Kareki starts to speak. Small coughs escaping him as he speaks. The almost 20-year-old trying to make the shivering of his body less obvious.

Zeno stops reading with Kiriga and they both turn their attention towards the cursed man. Zeno tugs Kiriga to shift his sitting position to a more proper one and put's the famous in modern times, published just 42 years ago, Yotsuya Kaidan book down. Kareki smiles and continues to speak.

"My father Kariya told me about his aspirations." Kiriga looks up sharply, his shoulders now tense with focusing on whatever his father says.

"His own father, my grandfather Kaneya died quite young, at 17 and thus father was made the Oyakata at age 4." Zeno mulls that over in his head. Far too much pressure on an 4 year old, his mother or aunts maybe handled the corps more during the early years.

"No matter how much burden my grandmother tried to take off his shoulders, most of the corps' decision's still needed to be run through the official Oyakata. My father, having as per tradition been raised as a girl didn't quite understand why so much suddenly relied on his word." Kareki takes pauses between words, out of breath just by speaking.

"As he got older he felt even more extremely pressurized and burdened by the lives on his hands and realized that he didn't want that on his children." Kareki gazes at Kiriga, maybe lamenting that the 6 soon to be 7-year-old would be, in a less than 15 years in his position, dying on a futon.

"So he decided to live as long as he could, so that his own children wouldn't be forced in to becoming a figure head so young." Kareki leans his head to the side where Zeno sits. Zeno leans forward a bit so the man can rest his head on Zeno's shoulder.

"I'm so very sorry Kiriga," Kareki lets his hands tremble, allowing a few small tear drops slide down his face. Hiccups and sobs subtly rack through Kareki's body.

"That your father is not sturdy enough to be able to make sure you don't get that burden so early." Kiriga blinks, the 6 year old tilts his head in confusion at his father's words.

"That I am not able to give you time, or a proper childhood."

And even though Zeno tries he can't speak up, all he can do is to just hold the sobbing 19 year old. Kiriga is fussing, trying to help his father through means of hugging and smiling.

And Zeno wonders, contemplates and thinks. Zeno really is trying so hard to understand the Ubuyashiki's cycle of never having enough time.

Because if there is one thing Zeno has always had too much of, it's time.


	34. Chapter 33 Teach

"Ouryuu-sama" Zeno looked down, 7-year-old Ubuyashiki Kiriga was tugging on his sleeve. The child looked embarrassed and was holding a parchment paper in the hand that wasn't tugging Zeno's sleeve

"Could... Could you help me with the Kanji written forms?" Kiriga shifted his gaze towards the low table where scattered papers littered the floor and a brush and some freshly grounded ink stood on the table. Zeno hummed and crouched to 7 year olds eye level.

"Sure! Zeno will help, Zeno will help! Just what could be so hard that young master Ubuyashiki is embarrassed to ask?" Zeno asks with a teasing grin and watches as Kiriga shifts in one place and his face gains a small pink blushes.

The 7 year old then nervously shows the paper he holds in his hands to him. The paper is full with rows of words written in hiragana with a space next to them asking to write what the kanji is for them.

Zeno skims the sheet and is once again hit with the fact that the heir needs to be very educated and needs to be mature at a very young age. Some of the Kanji the paper is asking for is stuff Zeno learned when he attended a top university in a 21 century world. The very hard kind.

He smiles and nods towards the table. Aiding and helping the boy when he doesn't know the order of brush strokes, correcting them and writing some down that Kiriga actually doesn't know.

At some point the 5-year-old little sister busted in. Fumiko continues to watch from the sidelines, curiosity shining off as she peeks from under the table at some of the completed sheets. Other than small 'oohs' and other sounds of awe she stays silent, letting her big brother concentrate.

He watches as Kiriga writes with wonder in his eyes. Even with as much as is demanded from the heir of Ubuyashiki family, the boy in front of him is still a child. Full of naivety, wonder for words he doesn't know and curiosity to know more.

Kiriga smiles as he finishes writing a kanji he had been struggling with for a while. The 7 year old turns his head towards Zeno, pale blue eyes shining in happiness, showing the paper where Kanji for 'hesitation' 躊躇 is written in perfect brush strokes.

Zeno praises the boy as he deserves and Kiriga beams the happiest smile Zeno has ever seen the boy show.


	35. Chapter 34 Accident

"Look out!"

Zeno has 2 seconds after the shout to dodge the cart that is falling over. He scrambles away, just in time because a larger barrel drops and breaks on impact on the spot he was in before. Zeno takes a deep breath and gives himself a pat on the back for dodging the barrels.

He glares at the fallen over broken barrels that spilled all their contents over the road. Rice everywhere, not to mention the peaches and the 1 or 2 barrels that spilled some salted fish.

"Hey! Zeno could have gotten seriously hurt, you should be more careful mister!"

"I am extremely sorry for the trouble mister! I will be more careful in the future, could you please forgive me kind sir!" Zeno staggers at the amount of sorry the man responsible was hurling out of his mouth.

"Zeno is fine, Zeno is fine. Anyway mister are you going to be fine? This looks like a stock delivery cart to Zeno. Won't you be in trouble for ruining the goods?"

"Ah! Right! I still need to bring these to the market!" The man fumbles around a little before turning to the spilled stuff. "No! Even the fish? That was the most important!"

Zeno glances at the spilled food and frowns in sympathy for the man. Poor guy probably lost his job for the cart falling over accidentally. Well, nothing much Zeno can do. The fish is still mostly in salt so it can probably be saved anyway.

"Father is going to kill me! Ah, right mister, I am sorry for almost running you over! My name is Tsuyuri Noboru." The man grins a little, and Zeno finally decides to leave. He is not touching the Tsuyuri's branch of the horrible and the terrible.

"Right, Zeno's name is Ouryuu Zeno. Nice to meet you and goodbye!" Zeno waves at the man as he walks away.

Anyway, Kareki said that Zeno wouldn't get any food if he didn't get back soon.


	36. Chapter 35 Exhausted

Kareki is sitting, letting his wife Akari slowly comb through his hair that is usually pulled back in a tight ponytail but is now falling free behind the man like a waterfall. Zeno stays silent, watching them silently while pretending to read the book opened on his left hand.

Kiriga is asleep, after another lesson that the heir has to go through the 9-year-old practically fell asleep in Zeno's arms. Zeno had proceeded to lay the boy more comfortably on so his head rested on Zeno's lap as they enjoyed the setting sun on the engawa.

Akari had entered the room a while ago, to help the currently resting in bed Kareki go to sleep properly. Their other children that Zeno hadn't interacted with much were already tucked in. Akari had proceeded to go over things she had discussed with the current plant hashira Kusashima Daiki.

Daiki was going on a mission to an area in Hokkaido, which was a dangerous job in winter, considering just the weather on the human side of things. There was also the chance Daiki could get arrested just for possessing a blade. Because it was winter and the demon that was rumored to be there was apparently in the upper moons so, they were all aware the young 27 year old hashira was unlikely to return.

_Just like how Kuroshi Junpei never came back from that mission._

Zeno personally thought it would be wiser to send him if they wanted to cull demons in Hokkaido during the winter.

Hokkaido has been the place where the most criminal activity has happened and so the Japanese samurai deployed there were very alert in the area. Additionally high crime rates also raise's the amount of the area's usual demon population. If there is havoc all the time and many street criminals it's very easy for demons to blend in.

So it was basically suicide for young Daiki to go there. Zeno will start begging for Kareki to give him all the missions in Hokkaido if that is what it takes to prevent the unneeded deaths of these people.

Zeno sighs and slowly runs his fingers through a sleeping Kiriga's hair. Ignoring the fond smile Kareki send over as Akari puts his hair back into a tight ponytail, careful not to touch any of the areas she just re-bandaged.

Kareki is frailer than his father.


	37. Chapter 36 Erimi

The cold autumn air bites at Zeno and his cheeks. The broken and ripped ends of his old haori are blowing in the harsh wind.

Zeno tussles his hair a bit more so it cover his mouth from the bare air. Zeno can see the tips of his fingers turning a little blue. The streets are mostly empty and Kouen is getting slower with each step.

The 10-year-old is gasping for breath, cheeks a burning a rosy red color. Kouen tugs Zeno's hand once again to slow down. Honestly either of them had expected a sudden change in weather and as such the summer clothes they had on left them freezing. A little boy like Kouen shouldn't be outside in this kind of weather, especially with summer clothes.

Furthermore, they had wandered to the opposite side of the village. To the same soba stand Zeno had been in the first time they met and as such there was still a long way until they would reach Kotami at her home.

Suddenly to their left a door opens and a little girl looking younger than Kouen steps out. She squints her brown eyes and tries to hold her black hair in place as she glares.

"What are ye two doin' out 'ere in tah wind!? Get in, get in!" She shouts and Zeno quickly takes the offer. Zeno scoops Kouen to his chest and runs to the house, quickly stepping in.

"Excuse the intrusion. Thank you very much miss, we were caught off guard by the wind." Zeno blabs while taking his sandals off and placing Kouen back down. Now that they are inside Zeno recognizes the little girl as Erimi.

Erimi is the villages prettiest child at 9-years-old. A sick orphan but because she was so pretty the grandma who lived alone had taken a liking to her and brought her in. Although she seemed to have a sickness, coughing all the time, she was still able to do normal work. Erimi truly just as her name suggests is the blessed village beauty.

As for why Zeno knows, it's because Kou-kun here happened to have a crush on her and mumbled these small tidbits about her.

By the way, Kouen who had earlier been expressionlessly following Zeno is currently looking at Erimi with stoic eyes and pink cheeks. His brows furrowed like he hated being here and his mouth basically a cute pout.

"Nice to meet you, Zeno Ouryuu at the miss's service." He bowed to the girl and watched as she smiled back.

"Name's Erimi. Nice to meet'cha Ouryuu-chan, what about you?" Erimi turned her attention to Kouen who somehow got avoided any blushing at the recognition.

"Kouen." The boy says, still managing to keep his silent cool attitude by turning his face away after saying it.

Although Zeno can tell it didn't completely work as the younger child smirks a little. And hoo-boy Zeno sees this is already starting to become a bubbling romance.


	38. Chapter 37 Origami

Zeno watches Kiriga tilt his head and squint his eyes. The 10-year-old purses his lips, seemingly biting them before giving in and glancing at the book opened on the table before him.

Kiriga gnashes his teeth as he reads over the correct fold and replicates it with determination. Kiriga measures with his eyes to make it even more precise in folding than the example piece Zeno had folded in a blink of an eye for the boy.

In 1845, Adachi Kazuyuki published a book which had more comprehensive compilation of paper folding. This book is called the Kayaragusa book, of which a copy laid right in front of Kiriga for the boy to learn from. Zeno smiles at the book, a piece of progress in slowly turning from the old Orikata to the modern origami.

Zeno lets out a hearty laugh when Kiriga brings his hand to his head to yank at his hair. The 10-year-old shakes his head in frustration once again. Kiriga looks at the opened page of the simplest origami that could be folded

A crane.

Now Kiriga could fold a crane all right but what was screwing him over was that Kiriga was trying to replicate Zeno. Zeno who had finished the crane faster than anything and didn't have to look at the book to remember which fold came next.

All in all Kiriga had yet to memorize the folds not to mention trying to do it with speed. Kiriga also seemed adamant about getting the exact measurements right.

Kiriga gnashes his teeth and crumples the -ruined in his opinion- crane and throws it to the corner where a pile of half folded paper had started to amount. He would have to either burn them for warmth or try to reuse them Zeno muses.

A small exclamation of joy has Zeno turning his attention back to Kiriga. Fumiko now stood at the opposite end of the table looking around the room. Her eyes lit up in excitement at the sight of Zeno's example crane.

The 8-year-old rushes to Zeno's side, eyes sparkling while her hand reaches for the crane. Zeno quickly grabs her tiny hand and pushes it down his voice already coming out with a scolding tone.

"Now now, don't touch the example crane Fumi, your brother needs it." Zeno pauses as the eyes previously lit in excitement mellowed out and became teary. Zeno quickly continued on to saying.

"If Miko wants a crane you can ask Zeno for one." And as Kiriga pouts at another ruined piece of paper Zeno adds as an afterthought. "Or make one yourself like Kiriga."

Fumiko's expression instantly improves. She sits herself to Zeno's left, opposite to Kiriga who was still concentrating on the exact placement of the next fold. Fumiko grabs one square sheet off the stack of prepared paper and then turns her gaze to Zeno expectantly as she holds it down on the table.

Zeno smiled lightly and gestures to the book. The younger Ubuyashiki's face doesn't sour but instead the excitement grows in her expression. She quickly turns the book around and away from Kiriga and reads through the open page. She reads the complex graph with ease, no furrow in her brow unlike her elder brother.

Kiriga glances up hastily when she snatches the book. The look of disbelief Kiriga displays makes Zeno giggle.

Fumiko ignores her brothers glare and instead proceeds on with the paper. She turns the paper around in different ways with her finger until a perfect little crane is ready.

Kiriga gawks at the crane. His eyes bulge at the small delicate thing Fumiko had made in less than 5 minutes. Fumiko is quite natural at this Zeno muses, while it may not be a strength of Kiriga. Kiriga still hasn't learned how to do it and it's been over 2 hours after all.

In an act of manly man dominance, the afro-mentioned 10-year-old boy throws the half completed crane in his hand at his little sister.


	39. Chapter 38 Words

In Zeno's hands is a newspaper.

But not a normal one, no. It was something Zeno personally had sought out just this year, barely published this week in 1871.

The so called first official daily newspaper, Yokohama Mainichi Shinbun. And this copy was now part of Zeno's personal relics. He was going to preserve this piece of history so the future would have a copy in good condition.

Or as in, was. Because it had rained just a few hours ago and the roads were slippery. Kouen and Erimi wanted to go out and had just ran past him.

In the process the 2 kids splashed mud towards him. And even though Zeno did his best to block the dirt with his body it still got onto the precious paper.

All in all, Zeno spent a few minutes mourning the paper. Just now Kotami came out to see what commotion Erimi and Kouen were making outside. She chastises both of them for running and playing around in the slippery ground carelessly. For not paying enough attention to their surroundings.

Kotami pays special attention to Erimi because of the younger girls sickly body. Erimi sticks out her tongue at the older lady in response to the motherly tone. Kouen smiles and tries to subtly stare at his crush.

The 2 children continue playing and Zeno watches with a smile. Kotami sits down on the engawa next to him, watching as Erimi scoops up a small patch of mud and throws it at the elder child.

Kotami's smile fades a little after watching the children's mud war for a while and she turns her gaze on Zeno.

"Do I even want to know?" She asks in a low tone, making sure the kids won't overhear. Zeno hums a little at the question, and knows rather well what she is asking. However, one can never be too sure.

"What does the lady mean?" His voice is calm, clear and controlled, Kotami sighs in a frustrated tone in response to the tone.

"Your body doesn't match the years you have spent here. Do I want to know why time does not affect you?" Kotami voices.

Zeno knew this was going to come up someday from someone once again. The Ubuyashiki's naturally knew the truth, and Zeno didn't often see other families. But dear Hiryuu does this woman catch on fast. Normally the people Zeno knows don't even think to start wondering after a decade. They just think it normal and ignore his non-aging.

Of course the more intelligent ones wonder and know but they don't ask.

Zeno sighs and in hushed tones, watching a kids mud fight, tells the tale of dragons.


	40. Chapter 39 Lost In 1872

It is year 1872, and Ubuyashiki Kareki at age 24 is dying.

The man is very much on the brink of death. And Zeno is here. Sitting next to the man's bed, with Ubuyashiki Akari and a 11-year-old Kiriga who was trying to stifle his tears. Even Kareki's own mother isn't here.

Fumiko and other relatives were in another safe house, Kareki had not wanted them to see him die. Only Kiriga, heir and very soon to be oyakata, out of his children would have to see him die. Akari was silent, eyes closed but Zeno could see the silent tears and the trembling from the corner of his eye.

"Ouryu..u.. promise.. Kibutsuji.." Kareki was too weak to speak or even finish the full sentence. But Zeno knew what the man was asking for. The man holds out his hand stubbornly, ignoring his own pain.

Zeno slowly reaches out and takes the hovering hand. Zeno inhales sharply at the weak but determined grip Kareki was holding and clasps the trembling hand tighter.

"I promise, the time will come."

And Kareki smiled, one last gentle smile. His eyes gazed at Akari, loving and sending silent reassurance's. His words from the days before today had all been knowing. Aware of his soon to be passing.

Kiriga bites his lip as he struggles not to weep. The 11-year-old tried to rub his eyes subtly and tries not to let his lips tremble.

Kareki's hand starts loosing it's grip, and the light that is still shimmering in his eyes starts to fade. The knowing glint flashes one more time and then the man closes his unseeing eyes. Any strength left in Kareki disappears and his body shuts off forever. Letting the man rest in peace.

Instead of leaving to let the family mourn as he had meant to, Zeno froze in his place. Kiriga's tears and sobbing finally couldn't be contained anymore and the 11-year-old wailed.

_Zeno didn't want to stay here to listen. _  
_He wanted to leave rather than listen to the grieving. He is an outsider, not a part of the family._

Kiriga wails and Akari cries with a soft voice.

The 2 keep mourning, for the loss of a father. Because of the horrifying disease the family had. Because of the responsibility now on a 11-year-olds shoulders. Because Kiriga would have to say goodbye to his own children just like this when his time came.

And Zeno could only hold them.  
Both Ubuyashiki Kareki's crying wife and son.

Who both cry for the loss of a great man.


	41. Chapter 40 The Field

Honestly, Zeno isn't lying he swears, he didn't come to visit this place because he couldn't handle a stressed out 12-year-old Kiriga.

Honest.

Well, that may have contributed to the reason. But! The main reason is to investigate the Ryumaki house, the one he had his childhood in this world. Or at least the area it had existed in.

Zeno had arrived to the actual area just now, and it has changed too much. What is left of the previously beautiful field of wisteria trees was the only thing that alerted Zeno to the fact the he was indeed where his childhood home had been in 1600s.

When Zeno had been just 7 his pregnant mother had carried Zeuxis and led Zeno here. It was just next to the house and the field of wisteria was large. There had been more than hundreds of trees. It was one of Zeno's favorite spots and mother had often come here to just spend time or braid one of her children's hair.

_Mother is humming, and Zeno can see Zeuxis chasing a butterfly between the trees. The rich violet color was bleeding everywhere and Zeno can feel mother gently tug at his hair._

_Hinoe is sleeping in Zeno's arms and he instinctually rocks his arms more gently if the 1-year-old stirs. Mother's hand sweeps by and takes the wisteria she had Zeno pick earlier. Zeno concentrates on observing Hinoe as mother weaves the flowers into his hair._

_Zeno knows mother is done when she gives out a satisfied hum and pats Zeno on the shoulder for him to turn around. He does so, handing Hinoe back to mothers waiting arms. She smiles gently at him, eyes warm and full of affection._

_She leans Hinoe onto one arm and lift the other up. Holding it and gently placing it on his cheek. She smiles before opening her mouth to talk-_

"̷̣͐̀Ģ̵̢̻͉͚̙̺̲̮̜͔̼͔̰̲̋̏̍̅̔͐́́̈̕o̷͉̖͙͍̳͑̉͆̎̏͋̇͛n̸͎̫̝̽̂́͜Ể̵͇̩̩͎̙̩͚͛͌̋̽̈̐̎̃ͅd̶̢͔̪̬̜̰̰͕̞̩͚̗̹͍̉̆̏̓̎̈́̍̽͛̾̄̅̅͘͝E̷̼̩͕̠͉̮̬͑̔͠ͅa̵̞̗̪̠̒̿̾̎̃̈̓͂̿͊͝Ḑ̸̘̭̺̲̥̥͕͍̣͙͎̗͂̚Ȃ̸̢̛̹̞͔̯̊̓̐ĺ̴̨̢̡̛͇̺͕͕͙͊̀̚͘͜O̶̢͉̻̼̣͇̥̹̥͓̎̓̒͆̅̍̈́̋͗͝͝n̸̡͓͊̽̓̀͘͝͠Ḛ̶̹̼̮̠̱̙̎̅̃̌̉͝l̵̖̈̆̀͗̈́̎͝E̴̢̘̗̺̬̦̠̪̳̞̾̃͊̍̇̾̏͜F̵̡͕̟̻̱̘̙̚͜͝t̵̝͎͔̪̻̣̤̯̻͔͛ḇ̸͚͙̯͎͎̯͑̊̊E̷̤̳͖͎͉̦̹̠͓̬͉̬͖̝͛̾̀̓͆͗̋̌̀̊̋̊͘ḩ̴̢͙͓̼̠̭͇̝̞̭͖̈͛̈́̿͘͝ͅị̵̤̮̮̹͚̄̇̔͆Ņ̶̢̺̄͒͆͌D̴̛̹̺̼̰̀̆̽̈͛͘̕͜͝"̶̗͔̇͛͌̋̑

Well.

Zeno had really liked to relax there.

Zeno holds up his arm and slides the hand over the tree. Now there was only around ten trees left.

As for the house, there wasn't even signs there had been a house there. It was an empty paved road leading to the village now.

But the village is still mostly intact. It looked kind of similar. Of course there was differences since it wasn't the 1600s anymore so it was a bit more modernized than Zeno had been used to.

Zeno had then wandered to the village where a celebration was just being held. A helpful man by the name of Shinazugawa Saburo had said it was for the Nakahara family's newborn daughter, Shizu.

Saburo himself was apparently happy with it because he had a son named Hikoshi born just 2 years ago. Meaning since they were similar ages they were most likely going to get a arranged marriage between them. Saburo was friends with the father of Shizu so they had already been talking engagement if the child would be a girl.

Zeno could immediately recognize that Shizu was most likely going to be the mother to the Shinazugawa brothers of the story. And Hikoshi the father.

Which was both ironic and extremely sad. Hikoshi meant respectable in many of the ways to write it and Zeno knew this 2 year is going to become a despicable man.

And he can do nothing to change it.

If his mental math is correct Shinazugawa Sanemi should be born in around 20 years.

All the more reason to avoid this village.

_O̸t̵h̶e̷r̷ ̴t̶h̵a̴n̷ ̵t̷h̴e̷ ̵H̶a̶u̴N̶t̸i̸N̶g̷ ̴m̷e̵m̴o̷r̷i̷e̵s̶_


	42. Chapter 41 Uninvited

The ceremony itself was over in a flash.

Zeno himself is really not supposed to be here as he is not direct family, but Kiriga insisted. Zeno really didn't want to intrude on Kiriga's and Aiko'a wedding.

Aiko was Kiriga's well, former fiancé just now turned wife. She was considerably younger than her predecessors, being only 15 currently. Usually the wife of the oyakata is at least 4 years older to make sure the woman is ready for pregnancy. However brave Aiko here is apparently the only willing girl to marry into the Ubuyashiki's in this generation.

So, the age difference is 2 years this time.

Zeno almost sneezes, the winter air of January makes his nose itchy. Just itchy though, allergies are a complicated thing when you're immortal. Zeno had some sensitivity to pollen back in Kouka but it has mostly disappeared. Small mercies.

Well, at least the now-married couple don't have any allergies. Not that he knows much about Aiko yet.

Zeno gives the pair a soft smile. He can see small paper ocho and mecho folded around the sake bottle. Fumiko had prepared those specific ones, even though Kiriga had wanted to make them they both agreed it was better if she did it.

Although Kiriga had learned to fold them back when he was 10, he had never truly mastered the art. What with Fumiko being far superior in the art of origami. Kiriga never had the precise uncanny eye for the perfect folds like Fumiko.

Zeno leans back, just enjoying this happy scene. Kareki would be surely proud of his little boy.


	43. Chapter 42 Healthy

"Gimme!" Erimi's shout of distress had Zeno and Kotami glancing up from their respective dinners towards the 2 teens. Kouen was holding a juicy peach up to his wide-open mouth. Erimi was pouting and doing every single possible kind of angry face she could at the blue haired teen.

Kouen's eyes sparkle and he dips the peach into the opened mixture of herbs before offering it to the youngest. Erimi looks at the peach differently now, gone is the look of want and instead is replaced with disgusted glares thrown at the mixture. Zeno had to wonder just how bitter it could be for her to dislike it this much.

"Eat." One demanding word comes from Kouen. Additionally, the teen says it in such a soft tone with such adoring eyes that Zeno isn't sure if the chances this world is secretly a shoujo world are completely 0. Erimi pouts once again before the sulky action is interrupted with a coughing fit.

Recently she has been having more of those. Which means her health has gotten much worse and Kouen is very much in the right to try to force feed her medicine. It also means Zeno is going on the hunt for a good pharmacy again.

Zeno isn't good with medicine at all, he knows only the very bare bones. And those too just to take care of other people. This is another aspect Zeno should improve upon, if he knew what sickness Erimi had maybe more modern solutions could help.

Because Zeno knows for a fact Erimi's illness is something curable in the modern times. It just doesn't have a cure in the year 1875.

Zeno quietly lets out a sigh of relief when the girl finally resigns herself to bite the herb-soaked peach.


	44. Chapter 43 Pharmacy

"Welcome in- Ugh"

Zeno glances up. The sudden noise of displeasure from the teenager welcoming him into the pharmacy confusing him.

Zeno closes the door behind him and finally the smell of different herbs and medicine hits him. It is sort if bitter and Zeno can even recognize a few distinct blends he has used before that contribute to the tangent fragrance.

The teenager has a scowl on his face, eyebrows twitching. Zeno can see the teal haired teenager sweep his gaze over Zeno before the expression lessens quite a bit. Assuming from the slit purple eyes Zeno concludes this boy is a demon who reacted to the uniform Zeno is wearing.

The frown lessening is probably after the demon boy concluded Zeno isn't a threat. Zeno is sure his baby face and smooth hands with no callouses contributed to the harmless look.

"Yushiro, be nice." A gentle voice comes from the cashiers' desk snapping both the boy and Zeno completely from their thoughts.

"But Tamayo-sama, he is a demon slayer!" The boy, assumed as Yushiro, heatedly replies to the woman he said was Tamayo.

"He is a customer. Now could you ask what he is here for, as is usually polite to do?" The woman replies sternly to Yushiro's rebuke.

"Yes ma'am." The teen's gaze loses it's heat, instead gaining a cold indifference as the boy now turns his attention to Zeno.

"What are you here for dear customer, anything specific?"

"Ah! Zeno is here to get the new blend of balm for Ubuyashiki Kiriga! Zeno assumes it's ready right?" Zeno grins at the boy. Usually the medicine for the Ubuyashiki's are from the doctors and nurses in the corps. However, some specific pharmacies have been providing medicine for the Ubuyashiki line.

Usually the medicine is picked up by kasugaikarasu or kakushi. Yesterday a crow alerted Kiriga that the new blend was ready to be picked up. This time however the blend is new and Kiriga sent Zeno to go get it instead of a kakushi.

Both demons seem to realize what Zeno is explaining and Tamayo nods at Yushiro with a gesture Zeno would assume to mean, go get it. Yushiro walks away with a reluctant expression and Zeno turns his attention to Miss Tamayo.

"Where are the bandage rolls located at miss demon?" Zeno asks in a cheery tone. He needs to restock after all.

"Oh, the fourth row on the left, the upper and middle shelves." She replies in a surprised airy tone and Zeno follows her directions. Just as she said, the bandages were there and Zeno grinned as he started examining the different kinds.

Zeno ended up grabbing the softer, more stretchy kind on the upper shelf. He hopped over to Tamayo-san just as the teen came back. He handed three delicate but bigger than palm sized boxes to her where she laid them on the desk.

"These are for mister Ubuyashiki, I have included in the box numbered 1 a small sample for the medical faction of the corps." She explains away and Zeno listens with a keen attention. She finally names the cost and Zeno happily hands over the yen.

The medicine cost itself wasn't the problem but the bandages were. After all the money for the medicine came from Kiriga's pocket but Zeno paid for the bandages with his own money. And Zeno earned money from odd places, like street performances and helping around with whatever establishment needed help. Just rarely but sometimes there was monetary compensation for the riskier of the missions.

Well, shopping done at the demon pharmacy.

Maybe he could get something from here for Erimi next time? He forgot to ask if they have anything to help with her kind if symptoms.

Time to get back to a 14-year-old Kiriga who is panicking over his pregnant wife.


	45. Chapter 44 Inquiry

It had been many years since he woke up.

6 years since Kiriga became the oyakata.

Only a few years since Kiriga's first child, Ubuyashiki Kagami, was born.

The boy would be the next heir and Kiriga had cried and cried when Kagami had first babbled at him. Nowadays the 3 year old was very obedient and Kiriga and his wife Aiko have had 2 more children. And since schooling became compulsory the year Kareki died, instead of just the heir all children were guaranteed a general education.

Zeno himself had done a fair amount of things, also gotten an updated version of the Demon slayer uniform. The uniform would no longer be the old traditional kimono in pure white, it was now a very calm and soothing black with actual pants and coat.

So now in year 1878, only around 35 years until plot starts moving and 21 or so years until Kamado Tanjirou is born.

_And 11 years until Ubuyashiki Kagaya is born, his mind whispers. Kagaya's father will be Kagami._

And then he decided it's time to finally investigate the Kuwajima family properly. Zeno had heard the Hashira's wife had given birth to a daughter around a year or so go.


	46. Chapter 45 Goodbyes from the dead

One look at Kuwajima Jigoro's baby daughter sent Zeno reeling.

It was like he was back in the Ryumaki family house surrounded by wisteria, still holding a 1-year-old Hinoe in his arms as a 3-year-old Zeuxis nagged that he wanted to be held too.

**_"̶A̷n̷i̷j̸a̸ ̴l̶o̴o̵k̵! ̶It̶'̶s̴ ̴a̴ ̵b̸u̷t̶t̴e̸r̷f̴l̵y̵!̸"̶ ̸Z̸e̴u̸x̷i̷s̵ ̴s̵m̷i̴l̶e̵s̸ ̴a̴n̵d̶ ̴l̷e̷a̶n̶s̶ ̶i̵n̵.̵_**

Setsuna was a carbon copy of Ryumaki Hinoe, the only difference he could find in appearance was that Setsuna had Zeuxis's brown eyes. And more modern clothes too... otherwise the same black hair, same bright smile and button nose of a 1-year-old.

And so, Zeno went and searched the house. When he found nothing apart from a very ancient looking locked cabinet with only barely seen kanji used in the Ryumaki surname carved on the top, he knew he would have to talk with someone of the Kuwajima family.

Kuwajima Jigoro's father was a man in his late 50, Kuwajima Hiroshi also happened to be a very reasonable man.

He talked with said man, and after inquiring about 'the Ryumaki's' the man just straight up led him to the cabinet. Then Hiroshi gave him the key, before promptly leaving the room. Zeno had been mildly surprised at his willingness. The man had seemed almost happy to give the key to him.

Zeno curiously fiddled with the key, and observed the cabinet. The brown color was faded, and the whole thing looked older than Zeno's real age. The upper corner is about to fall off and Zeno bet that if he shook the cabinet the whole thing would just simply fall apart.

Zeno looked over the intricate golden key and then inserted it to the cabinet and turned it. He heard the signature opening click and then carefully opened the door of the ancient looking cabinet.

Zeno blinked once... twice... inside were some papers. And at the very back something familiar could be seen. Zeno's eyes widen, and he quickly reached for the very back, grabbing the **_sososososo_** familiar item. He opens his palm and feels his eyes strain when he looks at the object in his hand.

A small, gray bow. Age had obviously taken its toll on it. It didn't look like the same bright gray nor at all new as it had before, the day Zeno had given it to Hinoe. The day Hinoe had been just 3 and still calling him Ai-ue with bright smiles.

He grabs it to his chest and stifles any kind of noise he is about to let out. Cradling the slip of fabric that had stayed in this cabinet for who knows how long. He opens his eyes that he didn't know he had closed and wipes his sleeve over them. If the sleeve feels wet then it's probably just sweat from the heat of the room.

_But it's almost winter, his mind whispers_

Zeno turns his attention to the papers still sitting in the cabinet. Bringing them out and a puff of dust later he gets a better look. The most eye catching is the largest paper, which Zeno instantly recognizes fondly as his mother's painting. Additionally, to the painting there are 2 longer letters and 1 shorter letter. Zeno cautiously decides to read the shorter one first.

_Dear Zeno-_ the paper begun and Zeno recognized the handwriting as Ubuyashiki Kameki's. How did a slip of paper from the wavy haired Oyakata end up in a cabinet in the house of the Kuwajima's, who knows?

_I will leave behind this note for you, whenever you wake. I have told my son Kiyome much about you, and he promised to make sure knowledge of you passes down._ \- that's why Kareki and his father knew so much.

_So, whenever you wake, when I am long gone, the Ubuyashiki family will always welcome you. I hope you are well, after all you too, are still one of my precious children-_ Zeno choked as tears came out forcefully, Zeno feels as his hand trembles and lips quiver, sneakily letting out a small whimper. It has been so long. He wasn't supposed to sleep that long. Kameki was so so so so kind.

_With hopes for a bright future and no more lost children in pain._  
_-Ubuyashiki Kameki_

The note ended there, in a simple elegant wish. And Zeno brings it to his chest, feeling how the paper was so frail it was basically crumbling in his hands. He lets the tears fall freely this time, taking a breather until he calms down enough to read the next one.

He takes one of the longer ones, the one that looks more damaged than the other. Zeno closes his eyes and breathes slowly in, and out before starting to read. He opens his eyes and sees the world isn't so blurry anymore.

_To my dearest Aniue, Ryumaki Zeno, From Ryumaki Hinoe_

Zeno breathes and thinks, this probably will give Zeno some kind of reason for why Kameki's note is with Kuwajima.

_The night you left on the mission, Onii-sama got angry. I was still young, but now I'm old and I finally understand the panicked eyes Onii-sama looked at the door with. His yelling and shouting at mother and father. You left for a long mission, and when I first realized you weren't coming back, I cried until I fainted._

Zeno grips the note, feeling his eyes strain from trying to decipher the words on the damaged paper. He caused them pain. He caused them so much pain.

_Onii-sama was mad at you, for a long time after Oyakata-sama came and told us you were gone. He was angry that you understood risks and still went on a mission that would surely kill you. He hated you for leaving us so early. But I was just sad. So so sad. I wanted my Ai-ue back-_ Zeno forces a violent sob back down. Flashes of a smiling Hinoe calling him affectionally Ai-ue.

_Oyakata-sama told us to write you letters, to afterlife, so you know how we feel. That if we preserved them somewhere with an object you had owned at one point you would hear them in afterlife. So here I am, 55 years old and finally writing to you. I have three sons; I married a wonderful man. Onii-sama became a Hashira, but he was too bitter to marry he said, I think it's a waste for him not to marry. Mother and father were angry at him for that decision too, after all it's quite preposterous not to marry. He wanted to die during a mission like you._

No. Nononono. Zeno feels his breathing escalate. Zeuxis was supposed to life a wonderful life in a happy family with a loving wife and children. They were supposed to be happy.

_I tell you, I miss you everyday. Mother died with tears in her eyes, father with a proud smile. Zeuxis is still alive, and his bitterness has dimmed. And we hope to join you in heaven soon. _

_With love, Hinoe._

No... Hinoe would not be joining him. Ever. Because he wasn't there. He wasn't waiting for her in heaven like she thought. Because he was cursed to dwell forever in mortal realms. With an immortal body, aiding different heroes.

Zeno feels his knees give out under him, collapsing to the floor. He tries and tries but the tears won't stop flooding. How could he? But how could he not? This was one of the reason's he usually wasn't born in happy families. He would get attached and end up sobbing on his sister's descendants' floor.

He feels a coughing fit wrack through him, snot dripping down his chin and tears soaking his orange oldoldold haori.

Zeno glimpses at his haori, the orange with white lighting strikes at the sleeves and the bottom. His mother sewed this for him when he first became a demon slayer. And although the clothes under the haori have changed more times than he can count, the haori is still the same one. So maybe it's about time to give up the falling apart article of clothing. Even the tears he just shed are damaging it.

_Good distract your mind, calm down, then read the other one. __It'sNoTtHAtbAD_

_Breathe in, hold, out, in, hold, out- just like how you read up this helps you calm down. __**HelpS**__._

Zeno shifts his gaze from his haori in his hands towards the last letter, the one that was surely from Zeuxis.

Moving his hand at a snail's pace towards the paper. Picking the old paper up with shaking fingers and bringing it closer to him. To reading distance. His eyes are much clearer, and the paper is not as damaged as the previous ones so he doesn't need to strain his eyes as much as when reading Hinoe's letter.

Zeno takes in another shaky breath, resolving to finally reading the letter

_To Anija-_

**_T̶̘̘̹̰̜̖̋̑͑̿́͒͛ḩ̴̨̣͔̇͛͌͠ͅȇ̷̹̳̪̱̬̺̘́̇̃̈͌̅T̸̝̮̰̀̎̓͊̀́̎́́̉́̚̚̕̚e̵̮͔̼̲̔̌͑̐̾͜͝͝͝A̷̳̣̱̞̟̅̂̾͘͝R̶͚͊͂̒͋s̸̝͉̟͝W̴̡̧̧̹̞͎̠͖̫͚̉̊͋͠O̷̧̰̘̺̝̖̣̼͔̊̊n̷̨̖̯̮̮͍̟̤̲͉͉͌̇ͅŢ̶̻̥̈́̍Ş̷͙̬̤̻͈̗̙̎t̷̢̟̠̼̦̞̝̄̒͂̚͘͝Ǫ̸͓̺͍̥̻͕͔̭̠͕͑͒̈͗̃̀̐͒͝p̵̢̧̥͓̱̱̹͉̼͓̙̏͂_**

ARC 2 END


	47. Chapter 46 Restyled

Zeno hums and watches as the seamstress does her work. The orange fabric slowly being created into something else.

He looks at the haori in his hands, the old haori his mother had lovingly made for him. The orange color has dulled with time along with the originally white lighting strikes looking gray, almost black at the bottom. Hinano Ryumaki had been an excellent seamstress for a woman born in the Sengoku era and living through the start of Edo period.

Even as the best fabric you could get at the time, the special water and fire proof fabric hadn't survived the treatment of time well. It was completely dark in some spots, there were holes in it and rips and tears at the sleeves and the bottom almost seemingly aesthetically fitting the lighting theme.

He had requested what he always accociates with Ouryuu Zeno, the nice diamonds shapes on the short sleeves. He had went and bought a green scarf to wrap around his neck and another for his head.

It wont look the same as Kouka, never will. But as well as he always tries to replicate his favorite look, there are always differences affected by the world he inhabits.

He remembers putting in a custom order for his jacket to look like his haori in a modern world at least twice.

Zeno looks at the scarf around his neck, pulling it to cover his mouth. His gaze wanders to the other scarf on his lap, and his fingers twitch towards the pendant. He always contemplated in each world whether to showcase the gold or not. Sometimes it attracted robbers and thieves. Sometimes it was a testament to how powerful he was, to dare walk around with something so expensive looking.

And sometimes. Just sometimes. People took it the wrong way. A sign of arrogance. And sometimes he would just not be able to explain away why and how he had the pendant in the first place.

This world though, should be fine with him having it jingle in his hair, attached to the head scarf.

"Excuse me sir?" Zeno looks up towards the seamstress who suddenly spoke up. She had stopped working on the fabric while she looked towards him nervously.

"If esteemed customer wants to, he can come back later to get his haori? Sir, you need not sit there, this will take a long time, I apologize." The woman looked distressed, probably not having told a customer before that the process of making the article of clothing will take quite a while.

"No worries no worries! Zeno has all the time in the world and since Zeno let his haori become this bad" Zeno lifted the torn and hideous looking haori up from where it laid on the table. "Zeno can't bear to go outside with it." He flashed a smile towards the woman.

The woman visibly relaxes, smiling a relieved smile before nodding along to him and going back to work.


	48. Chapter 47 Irritation

May Hiryuu up in the heavens give Zeno patience because he is going to honesty snap soon.

Yushiro is a good child, a brilliant child but one of the best at making people want to beat his ass to the next week.

Now Zeno is rather proud of his own patience. He has played the waiting game and won more than a few hundred times. Zeno has waited and stayed rational even when the calmest of men panicked.

_But oh dear Hiryuu Yushiro knew where to poke on his nerves._

Just entering Tamayo's pharmacy is becoming hard these days with the knowledge that in the span of time it takes for Tamayo to get the new batch of pills and medicine for Erimi Zeno has to spend it waiting with Yushiro.

The boy has a way of getting under the skin of people with clever words and mocking sneers. Zeno is so very tempted to just give up and smack the boy for his impoliteness and bad etiquette bit he holds back in respect of Tamayo.

Also it would be rather hypocritical of Zeno to do that.

So here Zeno stands ignoring the probing gaze of Yushiro standing behind the clerks desk. Just standing and making affirmative and happy noises with a large smile to Yushiro's questioning. Zeno is quick to wonder what is taking Tamayo so long.

Still, Zeno smiles and indulges Yushiro. Because in the end he is a hurt teenager that is lashing out at the something weird that has invaded his precious safe space that holds the woman most important to him.

Zeno is an unknown. Not a demon but obviously not a human. Something unexplainable that his precious person just allows to be.

Zeno smiles as another hostile sneer comes from the teal-head. Tamayo comes back with a satchel bag and a few glass bottles. She hands them over, he pays.

Zeno ends up smiling and yelling that he'll come again soon.


	49. Chapter 48 Gift

Kouen and Erimi will get married tomorrow.

Honestly Zeno's head is melting at the implication that small baby Kou-kun who chases butterflies will be getting married tomorrow. Kouen who's already 19 and drew out the process of courting Erimi for over 4 years.

Dear Hiryuu the kid has patience.

Zeno eyes the small intricate wooden box. Inside lays a delicate hairpin made of wood that has been lacquered so it has a elegant shine to it. The wood is decorated with small carvings of flowers and at the very end a small green jade pearl is gleaming.

The seller is saying it's imported from China and Zeno would like to agree. The woodwork looks very similar to some of the authentic stuff he has seen when he was in a primarily China-centric world.

This hairpin caught his eye because it has a pair, a smaller clip-on earring. The earring is not as detailed as the hairpin but the small jade pearl has a flower carving curving up from the bottom.

A pretty pair. Zeno wonders if Kouen would wear the earring if Erimi wore the hairpin.

"Sir? You've been eyeing this set for a while now? Does sir have a lover to give these to?"

"Hmm, a wedding gift." Zeno muses and watches the seller throw her hands over her mouth to gasp. She squeals and goes off on a tangent of history on some of the other jewelry she has displayed.

"But oh sir, I really would recommend these red silk fiber ones better, it just brings the happiness out-" She thinks something over, and starts speaking with her heavy accent again.

"Oh but if sir is still keen on buying those I can half the price for the lucky wedding pair and sir's handsome fellow looks."

Zeno hums and gives a wide grin. The seller blushes a little and Zeno has confirmed this seller likes the cheery shota type.

"If Miss would be so kind!" Zeno takes out the rather unusually heavy money pouch out. He has been saving just to get a gift for those two, but if he can get it cheaper because of the sellers bias he won't complain.

The seller hurriedly names a price, Zeno squeals at the fact that it's even lower than he thought and pays.

He's more than a few meters away when he hears the seller start up gossiping with the owner of the neighboring stall again. Zeno sighs and holds the wood box to his eyelevel.

It's a good gift, at least Zeno thinks so.


	50. Chapter 49 Nickname

"Zeno-sensei!" And that was the death of Kiriga respectfully calling him 'Ouryuu-sama' in 1880.

Kagami looks more than absolutely joyful. Like nothing could ruin his own magnificent realization. Kiriga, 19-years-old and not able to keep a straight face as chuckles escape the man at his 5-year-old son's enthusiasm.

Zeno looks at Kagami on Kiriga's lap, who had been for a while now wondering just what exactly to call the great Ouryuu-sama. Because Zeno was too informal and 'Ouryuu' was not a cute nickname. Then the 5-year-old had blurted out Zeno-sensei after hearing about how Zeno helped Kiriga with his studies.

Since Zeno 'even helped his great and amazing father', as Kagami put it, 'and as he was now teaching Kagami' Zeno should be called a teacher apparently.

And then Kiriga, the brat went and also adopted the nickname. And since then he had not heard even one Ubuyashiki call him anything but Zeno-sensei. Even the sturdy women of the house, specifically Kiriga's mother Akari had taken a liking to it.

_The nickname though. Zeno savored it. No one had given him one since __Hinoe-_


	51. Chapter 50 Repeat

"Hey, hey! Why do you call yourself with your own name Ouryuu-san?" A tiny, maybe little over 4-years-old Setsuna fires off at him.

Zeno stops in the middle of hanging another of Kuwajima-san's wife's kimono up to dry. He looks towards the child he was helping out with hanging laundry. The wind blows and Zeno feels the kimono almost slip along with the wind.

Setsuna looks at him with furrowed eyebrows, as if the question she asked was the biggest mystery of the world. Zeno smiles and he knows it's a gentle smile from how Setsuna reacts by fumbling. She looks towards her bamboo sandals and fiddles with the fabric in her hands, her ears blazing red and lips in a pout.

"Why," Zeno starts, Setsuna looks up, eyes lighting up in curiosity as he speaks. "do you want to know little lady?"

Setsuna pouts, "Because! No other grown up does it Ouryuu-san! And even the neighbors' youngest son stopped doing it after his 3rd birthday!"

Zeno chuckles, ignoring Setsuna's cry of '_it's not funny!_' and pats her head. She mumbles and Zeno finally decides to answer.

"To remember it." Setsuna look at him, clearly confused.

"But I remember my name without saying it! It's Setsuna!"

"Maybe you do, but that's because there is a lot of people who say it for you, no?" Zeno inquires. "Like your parents, Jigoro-san and Sumire-san?"

Setsuna still looks confused but now there is a small glint of realization.

"Zeno has lost his Kaa-san, Tou-san, Imouto and Otouto. Zeno also lost all his friends so they won't be here to call Zeno by name. To remind Zeno what it is. Zeno also lost his wife who taught him this."

Setsuna blinks, then gapes with her mouth open, unshed tears glinting in her eyes. Her expression twists as she closes her eyes and the tears start running. She whimpers and launches herself to hug Zeno, and proceeds to mumble to his shoulder. Zeno listens as the 4-year-old cries for deaths that have long since been the past.

And Zeno soothes her, telling her it's okay.

But her cries only intensify, as she hears the tragically gentle and kind sounds in the voice of an old soul.


	52. Chapter 51 Introductions

It is rather peaceful.

Zeno absentmindedly twirls his finger around, drawing a circle on the delicate teacup in his hands. Kiriga chuckles, the damn brat.

The weather is calm, it is silent, there is no damning tension, just curiosity in the air. Kiriga lowers his tea cup back onto the tray, it signals to everyone that he wants to speak.

Zeno continues to drink his tea next to Kiriga, the burning gazes of all the hashira focused on him.

"I am quite sure many if all off you have seen Zeno-san before? Maybe a glimpse, or a full conversation even?" Kiriga's smooth voice washes over everyone present. Zeno can sniff out the sweet soothing effect from his voice, the one that every Ubuyashiki has while talking to their precious children.

The present hashira's all nod, some look like they want to speak up, but they stay silent. Curiosity, maybe even hostility burns the air.

Zeno doesn't recognize most of the members. Some just die and get replaced too quickly. Other than their face and names, even Ubuyashiki's have trouble burning their memory to their own heads.

From left to right would be, of course first the long living water hashira, Urokodaki-san. The second oldest hashira currently.

Next to him is the oldest, who happens to be one 40 year old Rengoku Eijuro, who refuses to retire, if only to delay his own son becoming hashira.

Next in the line is another among the ones Zeno recognizes, Kuwajima Jigoro-san, the lightning hashira.

Then there is the flower hashira, Hirai Fuminari, who keeps his grey eyed gaze sharp along with a gentle smile with a constant dangerous edge. His stare is quite clear, even with his short black hair almost falling over his eyes.

Next Zeno looks at the second youngest person in here, the sound hashira Wataru Himemi, who with her black bob cut and red eyes looks ready to combust. She really is the most timid one here.

Sakurazawa Gen'ichiro, the stone hashira sits next to her, expression languid with his green eyes glinting in the sun. Long light brown hair falls down on both his shoulders from the high ponytail he sports.

Then next to him is the only other female hashira, Momimoto Ruri who is the hashira of the ice breathing style which is, a sub style of water and very much in decline. Her light blue hair is up in a bun and her cold blue eyes glint curiously.

The second last person is hard for him to look at. The wind hashira, who succeeded Kuroshi Junpei's position at age 16. Aragaki Taichi. When he became the wind hashira, Zeno had first avoided the red headed boy with the same kind of abyss black eyes as Junpei. But now Taichi is 33 years old and has a proud gaze Zeno has to face.

Last but not the least, is the currently youngest hashira. Anzawa Akio, who is 16 and the pillar of Iron. His dark green hair is so short it almost looks like badly done close cropped hair style. He has keen yellow eyes with an odd pupil and Zeno can see a resemblance to goat eyes.

Zeno sips his tea, curiosity curls in the air. Kiriga talks and the hashira listen.

The talk continues on for a long time. Lots to explain, lots to tell, many questions to answer. Tangents to go off on. Theories to ponder.

They take time, and by the time they finish, it's evening and the hashira have to go patrol.


	53. Chapter 52 Kotoha

"Oh, Ouryuu-san come on in." Kotami waves her hand at Zeno to gesture him to come in. Zeno smiles and steps up, removing the sandals at the door.

"How have things been Kotami-san? Zeno hasn't visited for a while." Zeno asks as they walk further away from the door along the hallway.

"Oh, Ouryuu-san you have quite the surprise waiting for you." She covers her mouth with her sleeve, mirth radiating off of her.

"Is that so?"

She stops and opens the sliding door revealing Erimi sitting on the floor with Kouen to her right, covering what they were fussing over. Zeno takes some kind of odd pride in at the fact that the pair is wearing his wedding gifts, the hairpin and the earring.

Kouen then notices Zeno and Kotami at the doorway and smiles one of his silent smiles that mean something.

Zeno blinks and comes a little closer. Going around Kouen before freezing.

"She's only mon'hs old, born in 1882 winter." Erimi says in a warm hoarse voice, rocking the baby in her arms. Zeno can't focus completely because the sleeping baby in Erimi's arms is probably the mother of the boar-head wearing boy.

"I've became a grandmother." Kotami smiles tearfully, as she swirls a long lock of her slowly greying blackish blue hair.

Zeno stares a little, sits down and coos at the baby. Erimi chuckles, but it's cut off by her coughing. She grunts in pain and instead ruffles the small black to blue tuft of baby hair on the infant. Kouen's eyes full of worry soften and he says one final thing.

"Name, Kotoha."

And then Erimi starts coughing again. Zeno can see, she won't last long. Erimi's sickness has been eating away at her since she was born and Zeno can sense it is very much too soon she will pass on.

Her face is thinner, skin pale as a ghost and her eyes a bit hollow. Erimi will not be able to see her baby grow up and Kotoha will live without a mother.

Zeno purses his lips and smiles on, ignoring the sting in the back of his mind.

Erimi will most likely die in less than a year.


End file.
